Why Is This Night Different?
by RileyAngel
Summary: An exploration of the events leading up to Passover 2012 and the impacts they have on our two favorite "good looking Jews". Please note: Rating changing to "M" due to content of the final chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**Why Is This Night Different?** An exploration of the events leading up to Passover 2012 and the impacts they have on our two favorite "good looking Jews".

Many thanks to Ryan Murphy for creating these characters that will live on in our imaginations long after they have been retired from the TV landscape, and the actors have moved on to other exciting opportunities. Mr. Murphy owns "Glee" and all of its characters, but the plot, various back-stories, and any new characters are products of my fertile (or is it feeble?) mind. Any similarities to people in the real world are coincidental and unintentional; if I accidentally selected "real" names, I apologize and assure that no harm is intended.

I find it disappointing that with Jewish people on the creative team (AHEM Mr. Falchuk and Mr. Shankman), this aspect of two of the main characters' lives is mentioned only in passing, usually as some form of punch line, and never explored in any depth. It seems to me that a huge opportunity in exploring and sharing diversity is being overlooked. My goal is to do what I can, within the realm of Fan Fiction, to rectify the situation.

This story takes place in a slightly AU; it is senior year, 2012, and Finn has not proposed to Rachel, although he is considering it. The other changes will become evident as the story progresses. I don't know whether Puck's grandmother ("Nana Connie") is supposed to be his maternal or paternal grandmother, but for purposes of this story, she is his mother's mother.

* * *

Chapter 1

Classes had not started on this Friday morning, and the halls of William McKinley high school were buzzing with plans for the upcoming winter break. There was talk of sleeping 'till noon, shopping expeditions at the mall, video game tournaments and, for the lucky few, a week in a climate warmer than Lima, Ohio had to offer. The harried teachers congregated in their lounge, taking comfort in the knowledge that they would have a week away from contending with other people's teenagers.

Finn Hudson and his girlfriend Rachel Berry were talking in front of her locker; well, Finn was talking, anyway… "So, Rach, um… I was thinking, maybe we could, like, hang out while your dads are at work next week…" He gave her what he thought was a suggestive smile, when in fact he looked more hopeful than anything. Rachel smiled up at him, but inwardly rolled her eyes. She knew that "hanging out" really meant "having sex", and she felt relieved that she would be spared that encounter. Oh, she loved Finn, she really did (keep telling yourself that, Rachel), but the few times they had been intimate were awkward at best and left her wondering if sex was really all it was cracked up to be.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. I thought I had told you that we are going to Columbus next week to visit my Bubbe and Zadie, and do our Passover marketing." Finn looked a bit perplexed. "Passover… isn't that like Jewish Easter, where you eat, like, crackers or something?"

Before she had a chance to answer, Noah Puckerman, a.k.a. Puck, who had heard the tail end of the conversation, butted in "Hell, no, Finn, it is not 'like Jewish Easter'. Passover commemorates the freeing of our people in Egypt, their journey through the desert... you know, 'the Ten Commandments', Charlton Heston…" Finn was surprised that Puck actually used the word "commemorate" in a sentence (he wasn't 100% certain what it meant, actually), but he responded with "Who?" Sam Evans, who had approached them in the meantime, and said "You know, Finn: 'Take your STINKING paws off me, you DAMNED DIRTY APE!" in his "best" Charlton Heston impression. Puck laughed, Rachel looked at Sam fondly and giggled, but Finn was now more confused than ever. Before he had an opportunity to respond, Puck said "come on, Berry, we need to get to Home Room", and they left together, walking down the hall toward their destination. She turned back for an instant, smiled and said "see you at lunch, Finn!", and then walked off with Puck.

Finn stared after them in amazement. He had no idea what had just happened, and who replaced his self-proclaimed sex shark/badass ex-best friend Puck with this guy who voluntarily attended classes and actually studied.

Change was both confounding and frightening to Finn, and, being senior year, it was pretty much wrought with change. Since it was now basketball season he had a lot of time to think, because although he was certainly tall enough, he was not agile like Puck or Mike Chang, and, as a result, did not play on the team. Sometimes he felt like his head was spinning; Rachel and his step-brother Kurt discussing the pros and cons of NYADA over Juilliard, Juniors like Sam and Tina Cohen-Chang prepping for ACT tests, and seemingly everybody looking excitedly toward their post-high school lives. He had no idea what he wanted to do after he graduated, and although he had applied to Ohio State (which he had conveniently not mentioned to Rachel, who was firmly fixated on New York), he did not know what he would study there. He desperately wanted to cling to the present as long as possible, but was at a loss as to how to do so.

"Oh, Noah," Rachel sighed exasperatedly, "he is so clueless." "What do you mean, Rach?" he asked. "Regarding our faith, Noah; it's as if he's in denial that he and I are different in that respect. He's not prejudiced, just oblivious. The only thing he knows about Judaism is the 'South Park' version of the 'Dreidel Song'. He tells me that he loves me, but evades coming to Shabbat dinner with my fathers, and had other plans when I invited him for Chanukah. However, he expected me at his house on Christmas Day and, although his family are lovely people, and the secular aspects of Christmas are enjoyable, if I heard one more rendition of 'White Christmas' or 'The Christmas Song', I was going to stand up and sing 'Hatikva'. If it wasn't for Kurt, I would have gone insane." "You realize," he replied with a grin, "those were both written by Jews." He winked at her, and she acknowledged with smile and a nod as they entered their classroom.

They sat down, Puck behind Rachel, and he continued the conversation. "Have you thought about inviting him to Passover dinner?" Rachel turned around in her seat to face him. "I have, actually," she replied dejectedly, "but I'm sure he would find some excuse to bow out." "Why not include his whole family?" he asked. "If his mom and Burt will be there, he can't _not_ come, not without looking like a total douche." "Noah, really, language…" she playfully scolded, and swatted him lightly on the forearm. "Actually, that's a great idea. I'll ask my dads tonight and see how they feel about it."

The morning passed quickly, as everyone was in pre-vacation mode, and people began filing into the cafeteria for lunch. Puck had helped Artie Abrams with his tray, and they were momentarily alone at a table. "Artie," Puck began, "I've said it before, man, but I can't thank you enough. You and Rach really kicked my ass since I got out of juvie. I was pretty pissed at first, but I got to say, studying has really paid off. I actually have a chance at college. Who would fuckin' believe THAT?" Artie grinned and fist-bumped Puck and replied "Bro, believe it or not, you did it yourself. All we did was point you in the right direction. Have you applied to any schools, yet?" Puck answered "Yeah, but that's all that I'll say. Let's keep this between you and me, I don't want to get Rach's hopes up, ya know?" Artie nodded his head and smiled. He saw the sparks (disguised as good-natured teasing) that flew between Rachel and Puck during their bi-weekly study sessions, and realized that Puck wouldn't act on them as long as Rachel was dating Finn, and Rachel would never acknowledge them to herself for the same reason.

Rachel and Finn soon joined them, followed by Sam, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Mercedes Jones, and Tina Cohen-Chang. Conversation quickly turned to vacation plans, and Finn asked Rachel "Rach, you said you were going to Columbus to go to the market. Why can't you just do that here?" "Finn," she answered calmly, "Columbus has a much larger Jewish population than Lima, and there is a greater variety of Passover foods there. And, it gives us an opportunity to visit with my grandparents." "I don't get it, Rach. What's different about Passover food besides those crackers?" he asked. "Those are matzohs, not crackers, man." Puck interjected. "That's unleavened bread. You know… the Jews got the Hell outa Egypt so fast their bread didn't have time to rise. Because of that, everything is either made from matzoh or guaranteed not to have come in contact with any flour or leavening agents. Really, dude, crackers?" He looked at Finn as if he was waiting for some kind of response. Finn didn't know quite what to say, except for "Woah, dude, just askin'. Don't bite my head off or anything." "No worries, man." Puck replied. "Just tryin' to share some of the awesomeness that is our People."

Tina had listened quietly to the discussion. Her (maternal) grandfather met her grandmother when he was stationed in Korea. She was a nurse where he had been briefly hospitalized, and they fell in love and were married shortly thereafter. Her eventual introduction to his parents was met with indifference, and he was disowned for marrying outside of his faith. When his family turned their backs on him, he turned away from Judaism, so Tina had never met any of her Jewish relatives or experienced any aspects of their religion. She had always been curious, but never felt comfortable pursuing information from her grandfather or her friends.

Conversation at the lunch table quickly moved on to the latest spring fashions (the girls and Kurt) and college basketball (the boys). Soon it was time to return to classes, and, before they knew it, school was over for the day.

Rachel and Sam drove home together. When she and Finn had "discovered" Sam (a.k.a. "White Chocolate") in Kentucky and convinced his parents to let him return to Lima to finish out High School, he had moved in with the Berrys. At the Hummel-Hudson home, he would have shared a bedroom with either Finn or Kurt, and the Berrys had offered him his own room. As far as Sam had been concerned, it was a no-brainer. Rachel's fathers generously refused to accept any rent, so he helped with yard work, volunteered to do the snow removal, and, as they bonded over their shared love of music and Harry Potter, quickly evolved into the brother that Rachel never had.

He joined Rachel, Artie and Puck when they studied; Artie had done some research on dyslexia showed Sam techniques that enabled him to do better in school. To cover personal expenses, Puck had helped Sam secure a job at Sheets and Things, and as he went to his room to change into his work attire, Rachel packed some sandwiches for him, grabbed an apple for herself, and left the kitchen, looking for one of her fathers.

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**Author's note**: "Hatikva" is the national anthem of Israel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** To respond to one of the previous reviews, I believe Rachel sang that particular song was because it had been recorded by Barbra Streisand, hence it would be one of her "favorites". I agree, they could have selected something else. Guess that's show biz.

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Chapter 2

Rachel discovered her father LeRoy relaxing in his recliner and reading the evening paper. She walked over to him, kissed him on the cheek, and said "Hi, Dad!" He grinned at her and responded "Hi, Pumpkin! How was your day?" "Good, thanks, Dad. We'll be reading The Catcher In the Rye when we get back from break, so I thought I would take it with me to Bubbe's. You know I always like to be prepared." LeRoy replied, "that was one of my favorite books when I was your age. Try to back-burner your school work, though, and enjoy your break. Have you started packing?" Rachel laughed and answered "you know me, Dad, I was done yesterday. All I need to do is gather my beauty supplies before we go."

LeRoy smiled softly at her reply; he was familiar with his daughter's highly-organized (read: anal) tendencies and was surprised that she had waited until yesterday. "We'll be leaving around 5:30 for Temple; I would appreciate it if you would start getting ready shortly. Dinner is all set, and I'll heat everything up when we get back. Your Daddy had some last-minute follow-up with a couple of patients, but he should be home by then."

Rachel smiled, said "OK", and began to walk away. There was something in her demeanor that seemed a little "off", somehow, and LeRoy asked "Honey, is there something on your mind?" Rachel turned around and answered "Yes, Dad, actually, there is." She returned and sat down on a near-by ottoman. "I was wondering if it would be OK to invite Finn and his family for the first night of Passover. Finn is always so reluctant to come here by himself, and I thought if his parents and Kurt were included, he would feel more comfortable." "I think that would be lovely, Honey," LeRoy replied.

"You've been dating Finn for a while, now," he continued, "and it will be nice for the families to get together. I expect they've never been to a Seder, so this will all be new for them." Rachel nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Dad. Would you mind inviting them personally? I'll talk to Finn and Kurt, myself. If it's all right, I'm sure Kurt would like to bring Blaine, too." "Rachel, I'll be happy to take care of it," LeRoy assured her. "I'll call Carol when I get back in town next Tuesday. If you would like to invite some of your friends, they are more than welcome. You know, 'all who are hungry, enter and eat thereof'. It's a mitzvah to attend a Seder, even for non-Jewish people."

"Wait, Dad, did you say Tuesday? Aren't you staying the week?" Rachel asked. "I'm sorry, Pumpkin, but I'm involved in an important case, and depositions will begin on Tuesday morning. I'll be driving back with Debbie on Monday night, and you and your Daddy will be returning with Noah and Rebecca toward the end of the week."

One of the aspects of her trip that Rachel failed to share with Finn was that the Puckermans would also be traveling to Columbus for similar reasons. His Nana and her Bubbe had been best friends since they were young girls and now lived in the same condominium complex. If Finn was aware of this, he would have been livid, so in her mind, discretion was the better part of valor. He was barely tolerant of their study sessions, which had begun before they reunited as a couple, but she had told him in no uncertain terms that he could not dictate with whom she spent her time, and if he didn't like it, he would be lacking one girlfriend in very short order.

In fact, she and Puck occasionally drove to Columbus together, as well; they would visit their respective grandparents for a weekend and entertain the residents in the communal club house. The last time, Sam also accompanied them. The ladies were all over Sam, with his blonde good looks and boyish demeanor, and several tried to fix him up with their granddaughters. Since Sam had been made aware of Finn's mindset, he kept this information to himself. He realized the trip was completely innocuous and did not want to jeopardize any of his friendships over Finn's easily bruised ego.

Hiram arrived home by 5:15. He greeted his husband and his daughter each with a kiss and hurried off to get ready for services. As he was already wearing a suit, he was done in short order. They entered the main sanctuary by 5:45 and were seated shortly thereafter. The Jewish population of Lima was very small (less than 40 families), and there was only one Temple in the city. Everybody knew everybody (else's business), and when someone did not attend, they were readily missed (and dissected by the yentas).

After services ended, Rachel's dads walked over to Mrs. Puckerman to discuss the logistics of their respective trips, and Puck, with his sister in tow, approached Rachel. "Good Shabbos, Noah, Becca," Rachel greeted them. Rebecca hugged Rachel, and Puck replied "Back at ya, Rach!"

Rachel was one of the few people for whom Puck smiled genuinely rather than a smirked. She touched something within him that he could not fully verbalize. After his numerous hook-ups, close encounters of the cougar variety, and failed attempts at dating, he had decided to take a break. He could see cracks in the veneer of Finn and Rachel's increasingly tenuous relationship and he was fairly confident that, if he was patient, he would have a second chance with her where there would be no outside forces, such as an unplanned pregnancy or betrayal of a best friend, that would come between them. "So, are ya all ready?" he asked. "Yes," she replied. "We'll start out around noon, after Sam leaves for Kentucky. We should be there by two at the latest."

Sam was driving down for the week to visit his family, as he had not been back since Christmas. Rebecca grinned, and in a sing-songy way said "Ray-chel. Say 'goodbye' to Sammie for me!" The 11-year-old blushed and giggled, unable to disguise the obvious crush that she harbored for Sam. Rachel smiled fondly; she knew the feeling of unrequited love and realized that in a couple of years, the young girl would shift her focus to boys closer to her own age.

In the meantime, it was cute to watch her fawn over Sam, who, being a big brother, himself, treated her as he would want somebody to behave with his sister under similar circumstances. "I will certainly do that for you, Becca!" she assured her. Rebecca blushed again and said "Thanks, Rachel! Ooh, I see Mom waiving to us. I guess it's time to leave. Come on, Noey." She grabbed Puck's hand and headed toward their mother. He looked into Rachel's eyes and quietly said "See you in Columbus, Rach," then followed after his sister. Rachel watched them leave and then reunited with her fathers for their trip back home.

* * *

**Author's notes**: "Mitzvah" is challenging to readily explain. It is something Jews are supposed to do, and it is both an honor and a privilege to participate. It is done with a full heart, kind of like a mega-good deed with no expectation of acknowledgement. See…hard to put into a few words. It just is what it is. :-)

A Yenta is a gossip or busybody. If you ever hear the expression "Yenta Telebenta", that is basically the biggest gossip in town.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Meanwhile, back at the Hudson-Hummel home…

Burt and Carol Hummel were in Washington, DC, and would be returning to Lima on Sunday. Kurt had made a salad for dinner and Finn ordered Pizza, and the two of them ate in companionable silence, only punctuated by the occasional "pinging" of Kurt's cell phone from texts that his boyfriend, Blaine sent. "Well, brother, you are certainly at a loss for words, tonight," Kurt teased Finn. "Got a lot on my mind, Kurt," Finn answered. "Everything is changing so fast, and I just don't get it. Why can't things stay the same?"

"Finn, Finn, Finn. Change is inevitable, and growing up is going to happen to us whether we want it to or not. Did you think we would stay 17 forever?" Kurt inquired. "Of course not," Finn replied. "It's just… life is really good right now. I'm popular, everybody likes me, I have a hot girlfriend. She's not perfect, or anything, but neither am I. I don't know what I'll do when we graduate and everybody moves away. I was hoping I could convince Rachel to go to OSU; I looked into it, and they have a theater arts department…" Kurt looked mortified. "You have GOT to be kidding, Finn. That girl has been talking about nothing but Broadway as long as I have known her, and she actually has a shot at her dream. What on earth would convince her to stay in Ohio?"

"Well," Finn answered hesitantly, "I was thinkin' of maybe, um, askin' her to marry me. By the time we graduated college, maybe she would realize that Broadway is only a pipe dream, and she would become a teacher and Glee coach, and I would get a job as a gym teacher, or maybe take over the garage from your dad. We could have kids and settle down to a nice life." "O-M-G! Finn, do you hear yourself?" Kurt emphatically reacted. "Do not, I repeat, DO NOT propose to Rachel. Enjoy the rest of your time together, and let your relationship run its course. If you two are meant to be together, then you will be. Don't jeopardize what you have by putting pressure on that girl to make a choice, because it will only end badly for both of you."

Finn considered his step-brother's words carefully. Deep down, he knew Kurt was right. First and foremost, he feared the uncertainty that the future held. What would he do when he was no longer in the secure bubble of the Lima public school system? Would people still like and admire him, or would he be one more face in the crowd? Additionally, although he was concerned about losing Rachel, more importantly, he did not want to lose her to Puck.

He noticed how Puck looked at Rachel sometimes and, to his dismay, how she looked at him. He may have been Rachel's "first", but he did not want Puck to be her "next", or worse, her "last". He figured his best way of stopping this was to, as the song went, "put a ring on it". Instead of looking at the situation as a young man certain in his future and his choice of life mate, he approached it as a boy who did not want to come in second, yet again, to the person who went from being his best friend to biggest rival in the course of two years.

"OK, Kurt, I'll think about it. I don't have the money for a ring, yet, anyway," Finn said reluctantly. "Take each day as it comes, Finn," Kurt philosophized. "Just, don't rush into anything."

* * *

**Author's note:** A short chapter. Next time, we go to Columbus.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** If I was casting this as an arc on the show and could have my pick of any performers/actors, Rachel's grandparents (and Hiram's parents) would be played by Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme', and her aunt would be played by Bette Midler. Puck's grandmother would be portrayed by Lainie Kazan. All great musicians.

* * *

Rachel enjoyed visiting her grandparents. There was always music playing on the stereo, a pot of tea brewing in the kitchen, and the aroma of fresh baked goods wafting through the house. Music was as natural to them as breathing. Her Bubbe and Puck's Nana had been singers with a local band shortly after World War II. When her Zadie was going to college, he was hired as a trumpet player in the same band, and when Jerry Lieberman met Esther Solomon, the rest, as they say, is history. They were married within a year; he became a high school band director and science teacher, and she "retired" to raise their children: Sophie, who was a music professor at OSU and one of the best (if not _the_ best) vocal coaches in Ohio, and Hiram, an MD specializing in physical medicine.

Upon arrival, Rachel and her fathers were welcomed with hugs and kisses all around and a table laden with food. Even though her Bubbe knew that Rachel vas a vegan, she still encouraged her to eat something of a more animal-based nature. "Come, darling. Have some lox and cream cheese with your bagel. It's almost sacrilegious to not at least _taste_ a piece of lox." Rachel sighed. "Thanks, Bubbe, really, but I'm good with this lovely salad and some soy cheese with my bagel." She smiled hopefully at her grandmother, who knew she was fighting a loosing battle and decided to back off, at least for the present.

After lunch, Rachel went into the room she slept in when she came to visit. She had decided to take her Dad's advice, and, rather than reading an assigned book, she was absent-mindedly thumbing through some of her grandmother's magazines. Apparently, there is just so much "Ladies' Home Journal" that a teenage girl can tolerate, and as Rachel was gathering the energy to go for a walk, she received a text on her phone from Puck: "U busy?" She texted back: "Not really. What's up, Noah?" He responded "U want 2 go 4 coffee?" She thought about it for a second and typed "Thank you, Noah, that would be lovely." He replied "Gr8. C U in 10 ;-)".

Rachel briefly considered changing her clothes. She liked to be comfortable when she traveled, and was currently wearing a pair of yoga pants and a cropped sweater. She decided that she looked presentable enough, ran a brush through her hair, applied some lip gloss, and left the room. She found her Daddy sitting in the living room, watching TV. "Daddy," she approached him. "Yes, dear?" he inquired. "I'm going with Noah to get some coffee, if that's OK." "Of course," he responded. "Be sure to be home for dinner." "Yes, Daddy," she acknowledged.

Before she had a chance to put on her coat, there was a knock on the door. She looked through the peephole, verified that it was Puck, and opened the door. "Hello, Noah," she said. "Hi, yourself, Rach. Lookin' good today; you should dress like that more often." He smirked, then broke into a genuine grin, and she demurely looked down and said "Thank you, Noah." Her father cleared his throat loudly, and Puck entered the living room and said "Hi, Dr. B!"

They shook hands, and Hiram responded "Hello, Noah. I've told you before, please call me Hiram. After all, we've known you since you were born. How's your grandmother?" "Great, Dr…I mean, Hiram. Thanks for askin'." They chatted briefly while Rachel left and came back with her coat. She was about to put it on, when Puck said "Here, Rach, lemme get that for you." He approached her and helped her on with her coat, while Hiram looked on bemusedly. He found it endearing how Puck behaved so protectively toward Rachel. He had seen Finn under similar circumstances, and although Finn was always very polite and treated Rachel respectfully (in his company, at least), he did not recall Finn ever assisting with her coat when they left for a date.

The teens said their goodbyes, and headed out to travel the block or so to the neighborhood coffee shop. As they walked, Puck said "Thanks, Rach, for meetin' up with me. I needed to talk, and thought this was better than over the phone." "Is everything all right, Noah?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with concern. "Is your Nana OK?" "She's fine, everybody's fine. I…I just heard something today that I thought you would want to know, too." He saw the consternation in her face, and reassured her "No worries, Rach." He smiled tentatively and held the door open as they entered the restaurant. "Carmel mocha latte' with soy milk, Rach?" he inquired. Rachel was surprised and flattered; Finn never remembered her favorite anything, unless it was something he liked, too. "That would be perfect, Noah. Thank you. Let me give you some money." "I've got this, Rach. Just go find us a table, and I'll be back with our drinks."

Rachel selected a booth and settled in. She took off her gloves and beret, and loosened her coat, mulling over what Puck could possibly have to tell her. She decided that for once, she was not going to jump to conclusions, and wait to hear what he had to say. He came over to the booth with their coffee, placed them on the table, and slid in opposite of her. She thanked him, took a sip, looked tentatively at him, and asked "So, Noah, what's on your mind?"

Noah began: "This is just too weird, Rach. I was sitting at the table after lunch, reading the sports section and my mom and Nana were talking." Puck then described the following scene:

_Nana Connie looked up from her coffee mug and said "So, nu, Deborah, you will never guess who I ran into at Macy's last week." "I have no idea, Ma. So tell me, who did you see?" Mrs. Puckerman asked. "Shirley Kaufman." Nana Connie stated, as if Mrs. Puckerman should know exactly who that was, and, based on her facial expression, she did. She looked at Puck oddly, and he picked his head up and said "Am I supposed to know who you're talkin' about? Are you tryin' to fix me up again, Nana? Who is this 'Shirley Kaufman' that Ma seems to be all weirded-out about?"_

_Mrs. Puckerman sighed and said "Rachel's birth mother, that's who she is." Puck's head snapped up and he asked "you mean Shelby Corcoran?" "Shelby…Shirley…poTAYto…poTAHto …whatever, yes, Rachel's birth mother," his Nana replied. "Wait… you __know__ her? What was she doin' here? Was she with Beth?" He asked incredulously. "Yes," she replied, "she had her little girl with her. Beautiful child; blondish hair, big hazel eyes. That shiksa you knocked up must be very pretty, Noah." "You know about that, Nana?" he asked, embarrassedly. "Of course, bubbeleh, I know __everything__. You should have figured that out by now." She winked and gave him an inscrutable smile, and he stammered "Did…did you talk to her…I mean them?"_

"_Yes," she said "I introduced myself. You know, her aunt has been in my maj group going on 50 years. Anyway, she seemed to remember me and introduced me to her daughter: 'Beth, this is Mrs. Cohen.' I bent down to her level and told her 'you must call me Nana Connie, dear, everyone does.' She seems to be a well-mannered child, although a little shy with strangers. I guess that's natural for her age. She must be around two by now, right, Noah?" She looked at Puck decidedly, raising one eyebrow. "Yes, Nana, two years old," he replied._

"_How do you know Shelby, Nana? I thought she was a stranger to the Berrys; I know Rachel did," he continued. "Well, as I said," she replied, "I've known her aunt for many years. I don't know her parents, though, but based on Marjorie, they must be nice people. As I recall, she was a graduate student at Ohio State and a pupil of Rachel's Aunt Sophie. Seems to me that Sophie was quite impressed with Shirley; thought she showed great promise and had a real chance at a career in the theater, which she desperately wanted. Unfortunately, there was no money, and Shirley was resigned to life as a teacher. It was around that time Rachel's fathers decided to hire a surrogate. Sophie thought that Shirley would be an ideal candidate and broached the subject to her. She was more than amenable and, well, I guess you know the rest."_

"So, I figured you'd want to know, and here we are," he concluded.

Rachel's face had paled, and she was momentarily speechless. They actually _knew_ Shelby and had never told her, especially after her Sophomore year fiasco with Jesse St. James and then Shelby. She felt confused and betrayed, as if everything she believed had been built on lies.

Puck felt relieved for having shared this conversation, Rachel's expression left him feeling worried. "Rach, are you OK? I didn't mean to upset you or anything."

"No, Noah, I'll be OK. I'll talk with my dads about this later, after I have time to process it all."

"Actually, Rach, since we're on the subject of Shelby, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while." He took a deep breath and continued "Rachel, no matter what you think, I did _not_ sleep with Shelby." Rachel quickly countered, a slightly pained expression on her face. "Look, Noah, it is none of my business with whom you share a bed; you don't need to placate me. This is something that is way too uncomfortable..." "No, Rach, please hear me out," he pleaded. "I won't lie about this; I totally _would 'a_ done it, ya know? After all, I am a guy, and she is kinda hot, and she is Beth's mother and all." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, and Rachel momentarily looked away in embarrassment. "Anyway, as I was sayin', we were pretty into it, ya know, and, well," he hesitated, and then quietly said "I called her somebody else's name. She kicked me out pretty fast after that."

Rachel was surprised by his confession and confused as to why he chose this particular time to share it with her. "So, in the 'heat of passion', so to speak, you called out someone else. Who, Quinn? Wait…I…I really don't want to know," she stated matter-of-factly and glanced away again. "No, Rach, not Quinn. Who do you think?" She turned her head again to face him, he looked into her eyes softly, and she gasped "Oh. My. G-d. Noah, you called her 'Rachel', didn't you?" Rachel turned bright red and looked down at her hands. Puck chuckled nervously and ran his hand through his Mohawk. He replied "Well, she kinda is an older, less hot version 'a you, after all." Rachel didn't know whether to be flattered or mortified. She realized, though, that his admission was probably as important for him to share as it was difficult for her to digest.

After a few seconds, she quietly spoke again: "Well, Noah, then why did Quinn tell me that you slept with her?" "Because," he replied, "I tried to tell her the whole story, but stopped when I realized that it would embarrass the Hell outa you. I never thought she would broadcast the whole friggin' thing, especially to you." Rachel felt a sudden surge of realization. "Of course; that would explain why she never said a word to me when she left, just bolted out of town as soon as the Troubletones disbanded. As usual, I thought I had done something wrong."

They sat quietly for a while, each digesting the conversation in their own way, and sipped their now-tepid drinks. Rachel glanced at her watch and said "Well, Noah this has been most revealing. I appreciate your honestly in sharing this with me, but I need a little time to process it all. I think we'd best be getting back." He nodded solemnly in agreement, and they both slid out of the booth, fastened their coats, tossed out the remainder of their drinks, and left to head back to the condo complex. Rachel shivered in the sudden chill, and Puck instinctively put his arm around her and drew her close. "Sure you're OK, Rach?" "Yes, truly, Noah," she replied. "I just need to think it all through." She did not pull away, and, instead, wrapped her arm around his waist. They walked the rest of the way in amicable silence.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yes, I know, another note… in case you aren't aware, "shiksa" is a Yiddish term for a non-Jewish girl. It is slightly negative in connotation, but only slightly. "Tsatske" is a more derogatory term, as it means a cheap (read: slutty) girl. It is derived from "chatchke", which is an inexpensive decorative object (i.e. a cheap, usually gaudy thing that sits on a shelf).

FYI, Jewish people are taught to write 'G-d' in place of spelling the word out. Additionally, we only use the specific Hebrew pronunciation during prayer or in a classroom environment. Otherwise, the term "HaShem" replaces it; it is not "Yaweh", "Yaveh", or (shudder) "Jew G-d".


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Puck dropped Rachel off at her grandparents' condo; she unlocked the door and walked in. She felt as though her head was spinning, trying to make sense of what she had learned that afternoon. She went into the kitchen, greeted her Bubbe with a kiss, and helped herself to a bottle of water. "How was your date with Noah, dear?" she asked. "Bubbe, it wasn't a date; I have a boyfriend…Finn, remember? Noah needed to talk about something, and I accompanied him to listen," Rachel replied matter-of-factly. Based on Rachel's tone and facial expression, her grandmother could see that something was weighing heavily on her mind. Rather than press her granddaughter for any details, she decided to let Rachel to sort out whatever was troubling her, and be available when and if Rachel was ready to share what had transpired. And, if Rachel wasn't forthcoming, she would call Connie later for the details.

Rachel entered the bedroom, kicked off her shoes, and plopped down on the bed. She propped up some pillows against the headboard, leaned back, and stretched out her legs, crossing them in the process. She took a sip of water and began mulling over the events of the afternoon.

So… Noah had called out _her_ name in the heat of passion… a small, knowing smile crept on her face…no, wait, she was with Finn, she can't think like this about Noah, that is, she shouldn't, no, she won't…oh, what's the use? Finn can't read her mind; he can barely read his English assignments. Considering "the possibilities" is not cheating…is it? No, she thought, she needed to focus…remember, he was with _your mother_, and that is Just. Plain. Disgusting. Even if they never consummated…just, eew… She needed to concentrate on the bigger picture here, and contemplate Noah' confession later; her parents lied, or at least, withheld information from her about her birth mother. What else had they been less than honest about?

As the aroma of the evening's dinner began to fill the apartment, she decided it would be a good time to confront…no, ask her fathers what had actually transpired eighteen years ago. She walked into the living room and found Hiram alone, now reading a magazine. She sat on the sofa next to him and said "Hi, Daddy! Where's Dad?" "I think he's in the den right now," he responded. "He said he had some briefs to review for his case next week, but, just between us, I think he's following an auction on eBay," he said, with a conspiratorial wink.

"Daddy, I need to ask you about something," Rachel began. Hiram could see the unease in her demeanor and responded, "Of course, Pumpkin. What seems to be troubling you?" Rachel replied "I really don't know how say this except to say it: Noah told me that you knew Shelby. I thought she was a stranger who answered an ad, not some friend of the family. What else haven't you told me?" Rachel was on the verge of tears.

Hiram answered: "Honey, I don't know what Noah said, but I will tell you exactly how Shelby came into our lives. Your Dad and I had decided that we wanted to have a child and planned to hire a surrogate. We had discussed this with both of our families, and they were supportive of the idea, although they were a little concerned about the whole surrogate 'thing'. Your Auntie Sophie had this student," "Shelby," Rachel interjected. "That's right, he continued, "Shelby… well, her name was Shirley back then. Anyway, she was extremely gifted and wanted to make a name for herself in New York but neither she nor her family could afford to fund that kind of endeavor. She came from a solid, Jewish background and seemed to be a bright, responsible girl. Your aunt felt her out on the subject; apparently she was hesitant at first, but warmed up to it pretty quickly.

"We had interviewed a couple of girls who did respond to the ad and were feeling rather dejected about the whole situation when Sophie called. Shirley seemed like the answer to our prayers: a good upbringing, intelligent, talented, physically attractive, young enough to have a healthy baby, and mature enough to understand the ramifications of her decision. She drove up to Lima and we met face-to-face. You're proof of what happened next, and we will be forever grateful for the gift she gave us in you."

Hiram reached over and gently brushed off a tear that had traveled down Rachel's cheek. "We love you so much, honey," he continued. "If you have questions about Shelby, perhaps you should ask Auntie Sophie when we go there for brunch tomorrow. We really didn't know her until that time, and only had heard of her shortly before." "Thank you, Daddy," Rachel said. "I appreciate your candor. I do have one more question, though," she paused and looked expectantly at her father. "Of course, Sweetie, what else would you like to know?" he queried. She responded, "Daddy, did you _really _combine your semen, or do you know who my biological father is?"

"Rachel," he began, "when you were a little girl, we didn't want you to think that either of us loved you more than the other. In our eyes, you are both of ours' daughter. So, being the precocious child that you were, when you asked, that is what we decided to tell you. We actually had discussed that option," he continued, "but quickly realized that, from a medical perspective alone, it wouldn't be a good idea. To answer your question, yes, we know. Would you like to know, Rachel?" Rachel looked Hiram in the eyes and said "you're my biological father, aren't you Daddy?"

He smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. She continued, "No pun intended, but it's 'as plain as the nose on my face'; I may look a lot like Shelby, but Karen and I both have the same nose. Besides, everybody on Dad's side of the family is tall; at least, compared to me. I love you, Daddy; both of you, so very much." She moved closer to him and gave him a hug, which he returned and kissed her on the forehead. "Enough of this serious talk for now, kid. Bubbe has been busy in the kitchen all afternoon, so I hope you're hungry," he said, lightening the mood. She smiled through her remaining tears and nodded. "Well, let's see whether Dad has won his auction, and wash up for dinner." Hiram stood up, offered his hand to Rachel, and they walked together to the den to peek in on LeRoy.

* * *

**Authors' Note**: To avoid any confusion, "Karen" is Rachel's cousin.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Meanwhile, back in Lima…

It was early Saturday evening, and Finn was bored. Left to his own devices, he had run out of things to do pretty quickly. He sat down by the TV and began channel surfing when Kurt entered the den, deep in conversation on his cell phone. He looked up and said "Hey, Finn, Blaine wants to run out to the mall. You're welcome to come along. Are you interested?" Finn responded "thanks, Kurt; that would be great! I can look for some new CDs." Kurt rejoined his conversation with Blaine, confirmed Finn's acceptance, and ended the call. "Finn, Blaine will be here in 15 minutes," Kurt announced. Finn turned off the TV and left the room to get ready.

Blaine arrived punctually, and the boys climbed into Blaine's car and made the short drive to the local mall. They parked the car and began walking toward the mall entrance. "Finn," Kurt said, "Blaine and I were going to go to Macy's and check out a sale on Ralph Lauren. Didn't you say you wanted to buy some CDs?" "Yeah, I did," Finn replied. "Well, why don't we split up and meet back at the food court in…say 45 minutes?" Kurt inquired. Finn responded "Good idea, Kurt. I'm really not in the mood for clothes shopping tonight." Or any night, Finn thought to himself.

They walked the brief distance to the Macy's entrance, and as Kurt and Blaine turned in, Finn continued down the corridor toward the music store. He was considering stopping at the jewelry store to price engagement rings, and as he passed Victoria's Secret deep in thought, he almost literally ran into Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce, who were exiting said store, pinkies intertwined and purchases in hand. "Watch where you're going, Gigantor!" Santana exclaimed. Finn instantly snapped back to reality. "Sorry, San. Hey, San; Hi, Britt!" he responded. What's up?" "We're having a girls' night, Finn," Brittany replied, smiling. "Hey, where's the Hobbit?" Santana queried mischievously. Finn frowned; "_Rachel_ is visiting her grandparents in Columbus this week. She said somethin' about buying some crackers, or somethin', I'm really not sure. It's some Jewish thing…" "Well," Santana continued, "definitely not used to seein' you without the old ball and chain." She laughed, and Brittany giggled and rolled her eyes.

Finn thought to himself "What did I ever see in her? Oh, yeah, boobs…" Finn abruptly ended his train of thought and said "Well, girls, I'm off to the CD store. See ya later!"

Finn decided to bypass the jewelry store and headed straight to look for CDs. As he entered the store, he was pleasantly surprised to find a few of his fellow (concert) band members: Tom Miller, a French horn player, and Mary Anne Cummings and Sandy Jamison, both of whom played the flute. He greeted them, and the four teenagers began an animated conversation about their plans for the week ahead. They browsed among the racks and continued chatting. About 15 minutes later, Finn's cell phone "pinged" and he glanced at it to read a text message from Kurt "Heading 2 the food court. C U in 10." Finn looked up and said "That was my step-brother. I'm meeting up with him and his boyfriend at the food court. Wanna join us?" The three responded positively to his invitation, and they left together, heading toward their destination.

Tom and Mary Anne began a conversation, and Sandy fell into step with Finn. He smiled, and they began discussing (of all things) sports. Their dialog flowed naturally, and Finn felt both surprised and relieved to spend time with a girl where the main topic of conversation did not revolve around Glee Club competitions. Although he shared a couple of classes with Sandy, he hadn't really noticed her, likely due to Rachel's proximity. Ever since Finn had become Hell-bent on claiming Rachel, he had closed himself off to any other possibilities. He looked at her objectively, as if he was truly seeing her for the first time.

She was a tall girl, with shoulder length reddish hair and blue eyes. She seemed nice…definitely a cute girl, nice ass…wait a minute, he has a girlfriend; Rachel. He loves her…he wants to marry her. He loves singing with her, having sex with her…especially that, each of their four times together was special…for him, anyway, and Rachel had concurred. He had been sure to ask before he rolled over and fell asleep. They spent seemingly countless hours talking…well, she did most of the talking, and half of the time he had no idea what she is saying, and tended to block her out…still, he would never cheat on her. Spending time with a friend who is a girl, even a pretty girl, is not cheating, is it? Besides, there are four other people there, and it was a random encounter, not a planned date. Definitely. Not. Cheating. Also…definitely _not_ telling Rachel.

The six young people spent an enjoyable evening together, eating junk food (excluding Kurt, of course), swapping stories and laughing until it was time for the mall to close. The two groups of friends parted company and left for their respective next destinations.

* * *

**Author's note**: Since Finn plays the drums, I decided that he must be in the school's concert band. It is unlikely that a child would be given drum lessons without some outlet other than playing them in the house.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note**: I was under the weather yesterday, so today, you get a two-fer. Enjoy (and please review ;-)).

* * *

Chapter 7

Rachel struggled to sleep, her mind an infinite loop of the revelations of the day.

Her Daddy's confirmation that he was, in fact, her biological father enabled her to "put a period" on a subject she had wondered about for some time. She had suspected this to be the case; she did bear a strong resemblance to her cousin, Karen and, although both of her fathers were tall, the women on the Berry side tended to be statuesque, while the Solomon (her Bubbe's family) women were more petite in stature. Ultimately, it didn't matter to her, because she loved both of her parents; it simply was good to have one less question about her heritage.

Shelby had always been an enigma to her; a nameless college student who basically dropped from the sky and, with a sperm-filled turkey baster, created life. Nine months later, after exchanging her baby for a generous sum, she disappeared into the night, leaving as mysteriously as she originally appeared.

Two years ago, Shelby had played on Rachel's vulnerability to appease her vanity and curiosity. She wanted a close-up look at the progeny she had bargained away, and manipulated both Jesse and Rachel to achieve her goal. Rather than accept the young woman her daughter had grown into, she chose to fill that particular void in her life with a conveniently born infant who would not challenge the fact that she was, in fact, old enough to be mother to a teenager.

Shelby's sporadic attempts at contact, the tenuous promise of a relationship, and the quick withdrawal of any potential affection had taught Rachel a bitter lesson in disappointment. Singing a duet is all well and good, but it doesn't substitute for a mother's love. She had wondered what Shelby was like as a young woman, and tomorrow, she would have a chance to find out.

Rachel began to mull over Noah's confession. In her opinion, Shelby's apparent inability to come to terms with her age led her to view Noah as a potential companion/lover rather than a teenage boy eager to share in any aspect of his daughter's life. Her inappropriate pursuit of a romantic liaison was only curtailed by Noah's Freudian slip.

Which brought Rachel to…well, _that._ Her feelings had drifted from embarrassed to flattered to intrigued. She hadn't allowed herself to think of Noah in that particular light, as her high school radar had been primarily focused on Finn. Sweet, unpretentious Finn…the only popular boy who hadn't doused her with a slushy, and who had given her her first kiss… well, technically, not her _first_ kiss, but her first "grown up" one.

She and Noah had shared that rite of passage at the tender age of seven; she smiled nostalgically, recalling the incident:

_Nana Connie had been babysitting and had taken them (and then-infant Rebecca) to a garage sale for something to do. Noah had charmed the lady running the sale to let him buy a pink Lucite ring for a nickel. He presented it to Rachel, even put it on her finger (as he had seen on TV), and they lightly kissed, with Nana Connie beaming in the background._

She had found it recently in the back of a drawer, apparently having kept it all these years, and wore it on her pinkie one day when it matched her outfit. If Noah noticed, he never acknowledged it, and, of course, Finn was never the wiser.

Somewhere between then and Bar Mitzvah age, Noah devolved into Puck, a sarcastic, misogynistic bully who kept the world at arm's length, herself included. He had been objectified by Lima's more desperate housewives, a direct result of shirtless yard work and pool cleaning combined with a rapidly maturing physique and an overactive teenage libido, and had begun to treat girls his own age in the same manner. Beth's birth and subsequent adoption had sent him into a downward spiral that climaxed with an attempted ATM robbery and sentencing in Juvenile Detention. Rachel had been one of the few non-family members to visit regularly, and had begun to see a glimmer of change in his demeanor.

It had been a slow process, but since his release and their enforced (by her) study sessions, Noah had grown from a rebellious, sullen boy with little impulse control into a young man who applied himself at school, continued his community service long after his obligation ended, and appeared to be excited about the future. Along with his obvious physical attributes, she found these qualities both admirable and attractive…very attractive. And, as her feelings for Finn, the supposed "leading man" of her dreams, began to diminish, her attraction to Noah grew.

Rachel's trip down memory lane had finally settled her, and she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Rachel woke up Sunday morning feeling both excited and apprehensive. She was looking forward to seeing her aunt, uncle and cousins, and although she was eager to fill in some gaps in her knowledge about Shelby, she still felt uncomfortable because they had withheld the information from her for so long. She decided to spend some time on the treadmill in her grandparents' office/den. Her fathers were sleeping on the pull-out bed in that room, but she could hear everybody milling about, so she knew she wouldn't be disturbing them. She quickly slipped on some workout clothes, brushed her teeth and washed her face, and proceeded toward the den. She entered to find her Dad, LeRoy yet again sitting at his laptop.

Rachel greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, and LeRoy said, "So, Rachel, I understand you and Daddy had a talk yesterday. How are you feeling about the whole thing?" Rachel grinned and replied "The only thing that has changed is now I know where to go for a spare kidney." LeRoy chuckled, and Rachel inserted her iPod ear buds, climbed on the treadmill and began her morning workout.

One shower and a change of clothes later, Rachel was on her way (with her family, of course) to visit her aunt and uncle. Rachel's Aunt Sophie and Uncle Max lived in a lovingly restored Victorian home near the OSU campus. Sophie had a larger-than-life personality and a voice to match. Rachel had once asked her aunt why she had become a professor instead of an entertainer, and her aunt had explained that she found teaching far more rewarding than performing, and she would never change a minute of her life.

Rachel and her dads had not seen their relatives since Thanksgiving, and they were greeted enthusiastically. Sophie Lieberman (she had retained her maiden name) and Max Friedman had two children: Jason, who was a Junior at Northwestern University and currently away at school, and Karen (now Goodman), who was seven years Rachel's senior and married with a two-year-old son, Jeremy, and a baby due at the end of the month. Karen's husband, Steve, was finishing up his medical residency and also not present.

As her parents and grandparents fawned over Karen's (now substantial) "bump", Rachel's aunt pulled her aside into the kitchen and said "Rachel, I spoke with your Daddy, and I understand that you have some questions for me." Rachel was momentarily taken aback that her aunt had initiated the conversation, especially so soon after their arrival, but she was determined to find out all she could. "Auntie," Rachel began, "how could you _not_ tell me that you knew Shelby?"

"Well," Sophie replied, "your dads had planned on telling you when you turned 18. Shirley… Shelby, that is, had signed a contract to the effect that she wouldn't make any overtures to you until you were 18, legally an adult. They hadn't anticipated that she would use that boy, Jesse, so you would approach her. Your Dad can draft a mean contract," she stated, and grinned, "but he never thought of this. Face it, who would? It was pretty underhanded, if you ask me."

"How long did you know her, Auntie?" Rachel asked. "About 18 months," Sophie explained, "while she was in grad. school; she was in one of my classes, and I also personally coached her. I like to think that you get your talent from _me_," she paused, and winked at Rachel, "but she did have an amazing voice. Still does, so I'm told." Rachel smiled wistfully, remembering their last duet only a few months prior. "Yes, she does," she replied, and continued, "Did you know her very well? I mean, did you ever, you know, _really_ talk?"

"Honey," Sophie said, "Shirley always 'played her cards close to her vest', so to speak. I was her professor and coach, and she treated me as such; friendly and professional, but impersonal. I knew that she wanted to try her luck in New York. She really had the talent, but, in my opinion, not the warmth. To succeed in the theater, an actor needs to make a connection with the audience. That requires a willingness to be vulnerable in a room full of strangers, not just having a great voice. Although I don't know this for a fact, I expect that her personality was more in line with what she became, a high school teacher and show choir coach, where being emotionally available isn't as important as knowledge of the subject matter."

As Rachel digested what her aunt had said, she concluded that it made a lot of sense. Shelby had managed to lead Vocal Adrenaline to several National titles, and although the performances may have been technically flawless, they were as emotionless as a dried out sponge. Mr. Schue, on the other hand, might not be the best Spanish (or History) teacher on the planet, and they had yet to win at Nationals, but he cared about his students and worked hard to unite their initially disparate group into a cohesive team.

"Auntie, do you think Shelby will be a good mother for Beth?" Rachel worried, thinking about Puck and how deeply he loved the little girl he was barely allowed to know. "Yes, I do," Sophie replied. "Actually, Rachel, I think that child may be just what Shir…Shelby needed. Opening up her heart to that little girl will definitely give her a different perspective on life. Maybe, in time, she will be able to do the same with you."

"Thanks, Auntie Sophie. I'm very lucky; I have two wonderful fathers and a great family. I always felt like I was missing a mother in my life, and maybe I was, but I'm OK with that now. In a sense, she gave this all to me, so I should be grateful for the gift rather than bitter about everything else. At least, it kind of makes sense, now, and I feel relieved. I always thought there was something wrong with me that was not worth loving; now I understand that it's something beyond her emotional capabilities."

Sophie looked Rachel squarely in the eyes and said, "Rachel, never doubt that you are _most_ worthy of being loved." They embraced, and she continued, jokingly "Enough of this serious talk, young lady. Let's join the others. I'm sure everybody is hungry by now, and we have homemade waffles with all the trimmings. I have soy bacon, and there's even a special vegan batter just for you." She put her arm around Rachel's shoulders and led her out of the kitchen to mingle with her family again. Hiram made eye contact with his sister, who nodded, confirming their conversation had taken place.

The family enjoyed a wonderful brunch, followed by performances from the Rogers and Hart song book, which Sophie was covering that semester. Hiram provided piano accompaniment; Rachel sang "Where or When", LeRoy dedicated "My Funny Valentine" to his husband, and Sophie brought the house down with "To Keep My Love Alive". After much coaxing, Rachel's Bubbe agreed to sing, provided it was with her granddaughters, and they performed a humorous rendition of "Sing For Your Supper". In what seemed like a heartbeat, the afternoon came to an end, and Rachel was back in the car, returning to the condo.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Regarding the songs mentioned above; all of the lyrics are available online, and there are numerous performances on YouTube. Check it out…


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Monday passed uneventfully. Both the Berrys and Puckermans (independently) had visited the local kosher market and stocked up on non-perishable Passover supplies, such as matzos, baking products, salad dressing, macaroons, and other seasonal treats. Any meat or poultry, as well as dairy products, would be purchased closer to the date and brought to Lima when the grandparents came to town prior to the holiday. By late Monday afternoon, Debbie and LeRoy had packed up the Berrys' car and returned to Lima.

That evening, Rachel opened her laptop to go online when her phone rang to the melody of "Endless Love". She hadn't heard from Finn since school on Friday and was both pleased that he called and surprised that she hadn't actually missed talking to him. There was a time, not too long ago, that she lived for his calls. She answered the phone: "Hi, Finn! How are you?" He said "Fine, Rach. How's things in Columbus? Have you checked out OSU's campus?" "Why would I do that, Finn?" she queried. "Oh, I don't know," he answered, slightly dejected. "I heard that it's pretty cool, that's all." "It's not on my itinerary this week, Finn, although I'm sure it's a lovely campus," she said patiently. Finn wasn't exactly sure what an "itinerary" meant, so he decided to change the subject. "Say, Rach, have you bought your crackers, yet?" Rachel rolled her eyes; he may be cute, but sometimes that boy was just as dumb as a rock.

"They're matzos, Finn, not crackers. And yes, we did. Dad took everything home today to put away until Passover. Actually, Finn, I would love it if you would come to our house for Passover dinner. It falls on Good Friday this year," she stated, and waited for his reply. Finn did not know what to say, but his discomfort meter was rising rapidly. Rachel continued "Dad thought it would be nice to include your entire family, so he will be calling your mom either tonight or tomorrow to invite her and Burt. I'll give Kurt a call later, myself." Finn swallowed. He realized there was no way out, because his mom was sure to accept. "Thanks, Rachel," he accepted uncertainly, "if you're sure it's no trouble." "Of course not, Finn," she confirmed, "It will be our pleasure to include you. It's a very special time, and we're glad to share it with you."

Abruptly changing the subject, Finn asked "What're you doin' tomorrow, Rach? Spendin' the day with your grandma?" "Actually, Finn, they have a very nice mall here, and I'm thinking about going shopping tomorrow," she replied. Like the majority of teenage boys, shopping was a topic that Finn Hudson preferred to avoid, and he quickly ended the call, reminding her that he would talk to her tomorrow.

Rachel decided that she had best call Kurt before Finn spoke with him. She preferred to offer the invitation, herself, rather than have it relayed second-hand. She keyed in Kurt's number, and he picked up on the second ring. "Diva!" Kurt exclaimed, "How are things in our state's capital?" "Good, Kurt, thank you; everything is good, here. It's been an interesting trip so far." "Why's that, Rachel?" he inquired. "I found out how my parents met Shelby. She's from Columbus. Actually, she was a student of my Aunt Sophie's," Rachel explained. "O. M. G. Rachel, that is too bizarre. How did you find out?" he queried. "Noah told me," she stated. "Not Puck/Noah…Rachel; is he there, too? Does Finn know? No, he can't or he would have blown a gasket by now," Kurt hastily responded.

"Yes, Puck/Noah, Kurt," she said matter-of-factly. "His Nana and my Bubbe have been best friends forever. They live in the same condo complex. I'm sure Finn doesn't remember, but when Nana Connie would baby sit Noah and Finn, I was there, too, usually preoccupied with little Rebecca. Girls were definitely not on Finn's radar at that time, and we paid little attention to each other," she explained. "I had no idea, Diva. I will definitely keep on the q. t.," he assured her. "I do expect the details when you get home, though." Rachel smiled; Kurt was always looking for gossip. He was truly a yenta at heart.

"Thank you, Kurt. Of course, I'll 'fill in the blanks' when I get home…maybe have a 'spa night'? Actually," she continued, "I was calling to invite you for Passover dinner. Dad is calling Carol and your dad, and I've already asked Finn. You're welcome to bring Blaine; if you'd like, I'll be happy to invite him, personally." "Thank you, Rachel, I'm honored to be included," Kurt replied. "Do you mind if I ask who else will be attending?"

"Not at all, Kurt," she said. "Since it's not until the end of the month, I'm not 100% certain. My dads and myself, and my Bubbe and Zadie. Samuel will be there, if he doesn't go home for Easter, and, if he does come, he may want to bring a date. Noah's family: his mom, his Nana, Rebecca, and Noah, of course." "Does Finn know that Puck's family will be there?" he asked. "I sincerely doubt it, Kurt, and please don't mention it to him," she replied. "There's plenty of time to impart that particular piece of information."

Rachel sighed. "Finn's jealousy usually results in fisticuffs, and I would prefer to avoid that." Rachel paused, smiled, and then said "be prepared to sing after dinner. No Berry family get-together is complete without a musical interlude between dinner and dessert. Noah will bring his guitar, and Sam, too, if he's in town. Everybody participates…it should be a lot of fun," she concluded. "Well, thank you again for inviting me, Rachel," Kurt replied. "If you'd touch base with Blaine, I would sincerely appreciate it." "Of course, Kurt," Rachel assured him, "I'll call him tomorrow, when I get back from the mall." "Mall? Now you _truly_ have my interest…" Rachel and Kurt spent a few minutes discussing shopping and what Rachel should be buying (nothing animal-themed), and then ended the conversation.

Rachel made a mental note to call Blaine the following afternoon. She glanced at the clock, noticed that it was past 11, and decided to go to bed.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Next chapter, some Puck/Rachel interaction. :-)


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Puck was alone in his grandmother's condo, playing video games. She had taken Rebecca out to lunch and a movie; "girl time" they had labeled it, and were vague as to when they would return. As the game became monotonous, his mind began to wander…in Rachel's direction. He had really laid a lot of heavy stuff on her the other day, and had left her alone for a couple of days to, as she said "process" it. He wondered how she was doing, and if she had learned anything more from her family. He set his game controller aside, picked up his cell phone, and called her.

Rachel had decided that rather than go to the mall, she would do her shopping online. She had already called Blaine and extended an invitation for Passover dinner, which he had accepted. She was currently visiting her favorite shoe website in search of some new spring wedgies when her cell phone began playing "Sweet Caroline". She felt a slight jump in her chest, the way she had once reacted when she received a call from Finn. She answered the phone: "Hello, Noah! How are you?" "Fine, Rach," he replied. "How're ya doin'? Did ya have a chance to talk to your dads?" "Actually, Noah, yes, I did. I really learned quite a bit the past couple of days," she responded. "Feel like discussin' it?" he inquired.

"Yes, Noah; actually, it would be good to share it with you, if you don't mind," she said. "'Course I don't mind, Rach, or I wouldn't ask. Is now a good time?" he asked. "Well…" Rachel hesitated slightly "everybody is home right now…" "Tell ya what, how about comin' over here?" Puck offered. "Nana and Becs won't be home until late… some girl-bonding shit or something…" "Really, Noah, language!" Rachel admonished. "Sorry, Rach, my bad," Puck apologized. "Anyways, how 'bout it?" "Thanks, Noah, that would be very nice," Rachel accepted. "I'll let Daddy know and be there in about 10 minutes."

After the call ended, Rachel left in search of her father, and Puck put away his game. He went in the kitchen and put up water for tea. He scanned the living room and noted that it looked neat; he knew his Nana would never let him hear the end of it if he welcomed Rachel into a messy house. As the kettle began whistling, he heard a knock at the door. He felt vague fluttering in his stomach as he stopped in the kitchen to take the pot off the burner, and then hastily answered the door.

"Hi, Noah!" Rachel greeted him, as she looked up into his eyes and smiled, perhaps a bit cautiously, but genuinely, nevertheless. Puck resisted the urge envelop Rachel in a hug and responded, "Hi, yourself, Berry. Come on in." He placed his arm gingerly around her shoulders and let her into the living room, where she sat down on the sofa. "I just boiled some water. Would you like a cup 'a tea?" he offered. "Thank you, Noah, that would be lovely," she accepted.

Puck went into the kitchen to prepare their tea, and Rachel looked around the room. It had been a while since she visited Nana Connie's condo, and she noticed a picture she hadn't seen before: a color photograph, obviously taken in the 1960s of three little girls; a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. She recognized them as Puck's aunts and mother. He entered the room and handed her a mug of tea. "Chamomile tea with honey and lemon?" he offered. She smiled, appreciating how he always recalled her favorites and reached for the mug, "Thank you, Noah. It's so nice of you to remember." Rachel took the mug in her hands, and Puck sat down on the sofa near her.

Rachel took a sip of her tea and commented "I've never seen this picture before; is this of your aunts and mother?" "Yeah," he replied, "Ma found this and had it blown up for Nana. Hard to believe that she was once a ginger, or as Nana says 'strawberry blonde'. Can you believe my crazy Nana; she named them all after movie stars. Well…I mean they're named after dead relatives…" Rachel gasped at his turn of phrase, and he corrected, "that is, to honor deceased loved ones; at least their Hebrew names are, but Nana does love movies." "Which actresses, Noah?" Rachel queried.

"Aunt Marilyn, the blonde, after Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey was for Audrey Hepburn." "What about your mother?" Rachel asked. "Do you know who Deborah Kerr was?" Puck inquired. "Of course, Noah, she played Anna in 'The King And I'," Rachel answered. "Well, I didn't know 'till they told me," he said. "Anyway, Nana says that's prob'ly why Beth's hair was so light to begin with, and that it'll prob'ly get dark over time, too. Quinn's not a natural blonde, ya know." Puck winked at Rachel; the mention of both Quinn and Beth made Rachel's gut constrict a bit, although she quickly recovered.

"So, Noah," Rachel stated, "you wanted to talk. How would you like me to begin?" She smiled at him inquisitively, which caused his "butterflies" to reengage. "Would you mind talking about Shelby? Did you find out anything new?" he inquired. "Well, Noah," Rachel began, "after our conversation, I felt so conflicted, as if I had been living a lie. I talked to Daddy about it, and he explained basically what your Nana had said, that Shelby had been a student of Auntie Sophie's who needed money to try her luck in New York and had decided that surrogacy was a viable means to an end. My dads actually did place an ad, but the respondents were not what they had hoped for, and Shelby seemed an answer to their prayers." Rachel looked at Puck, who appeared to be listening intently. "Go, on, Rach," he encouraged.

"As you know, she signed a no-contact agreement, until I was 18. It never specified that I couldn't seek her out. She was just some nameless college student to me, and I was worried that it would hurt my dads' feelings if I asked too much about her, so I never pursued the subject. Auntie Sophie thought it was pretty low of her to, as she put it 'use' both Jesse and me just to satisfy her curiosity. She's right, you know, that's exactly what she did."

Puck never enjoyed hearing Jesse St. James' name, but he had to agree, the kid was manipulated by Shelby as much as Rachel had been. As Rachel had paused for another sip of tea, Puck interjected "Rach, did you happen to find out anything else about Shelby? Like, will she be a good mom for Beth?" Rachel saw the concern in his face and smiled gently. "Believe it or not, Noah, that is exactly what I asked my Aunt. She told me that she never really knew Shelby all that well and thought she was a little closed off emotionally. That should come as a shock to neither of us." She looked at Puck knowingly and continued, "But she did say that she thought she will be a good mother to Beth. You saw them together, Noah; I never did. Do _you_ think she is a good mother?" Rachel asked, looking at Puck carefully.

He considered her question briefly while drinking his tea, then answered quietly, "Yeah, actually, she seemed good with her. A little stressed out, maybe, but I could tell that she loves Beth." He smiled wistfully, and Rachel was surprised that she felt no pain at this revelation; prior talk of Beth and Shelby had always left her feeling somewhat bereft, but now, she only felt relief for the little girl who was being given a chance at a life that her teenage parents were not equipped to offer.

Rachel then volunteered "You know, Noah, this enabled me to ask Daddy if they knew who my father is. They do, actually." "Hiram's your bio-dad, isn't he Rach?" Noah quickly interrupted. "How did you know, Noah?" Rachel responded inquisitively. "Well, duh, Rach… you're obviously _not_ African-American. How did you handle the news?" Rachel grinned and replied, "You're, right, Noah, I always had an inkling. Dad asked me about it, later, and I told him that nothing had changed, but now I know whom to go to if I need a kidney." Puck laughed at her observation, and she joined him.

They drank their tea in companionable silence for a short while, each mulling over the conversation. Having covered the topic of "Shelby", Puck decided to broach the other subject that was on his mind. He touched Rachel gently on her forearm to gain her attention. He began "Rach, maybe I have no business to ask this, but I need to know how you feel about what I called Shelby." Their eyes met, and he looked at her tenderly. "Noah," Rachel began tentatively, "at first I was really uncomfortable, but now…I just don't know how I feel." Puck felt encouraged by her admission, and his attention was focused on her. Rachel continued, "I do know that I can't act on any feelings I may or may not have for you as long as I'm dating Finn. To be honest, I don't know how much longer that will be, anyway." Puck went from deflated to hopeful in very short order. "What do you mean, Rach?" he asked carefully.

"Don't get me wrong, Noah, I love Finn; I just don't love him the way I used to. I've come to realize that we have very little in common outside of Glee Club, and that is no basis for a long-term commitment." Rachel sighed and continued, "I invested a good part of my high school career pining after Finn Hudson and, when he asked me to give him another chance last spring, I thought it was the answer to my prayers. Maybe it was, but it's not any more." Puck was genuinely surprised by her admission and felt hopeful for the first time in a long while.

"We have very different goals and dreams, Finn and I," she stated. "I will be going to New York, come Hell or high water." She paused for a moment, and Puck grinned at her use of an expletive. He considered commenting, but remained silent. "Finn has no desire to move there, and he would really like to go to Ohio State. I know that he applied there; he doesn't know that I know…" She smiled shyly, and then said "As with all of my friends, I only want his happiness. I don't think that it is with me, or that mine is with him."

Puck smiled broadly at her confession, but before he could interject, she continued, "I have already invited him for Passover. I have a feeling that our differences will become even more apparent to him, and it may even precipitate the end of our relationship. However," she looked at him sternly, "I do not want you to be involved in any way. I will not cheat on Finn. No matter what he may or may not accuse me of, I want to be certain that you are well out of it."

Rachel stopped and locked eyes with Puck. He took her hand in his and ran his thumb gently over her knuckles. He looked at her tenderly and asked "So where does that leave me, Rachel?" Rachel smiled demurely. "Noah, ask me again after Finn and I have terminated our relationship, and I promise to give you an answer."

Rachel's response had exceeded Puck's expectations. However, he knew better than to press his luck, so he changed the subject. "I don't expect Nana and Becs to be back for a few more hours. How 'bout a movie? You can pick, but nothing too mushy. The DVDs are over there." He pointed toward a cabinet in the corner of the room and continued, "I'll make popcorn. Back in a few…" Puck gathered their tea mugs and headed toward the kitchen. Rachel stood up and went to pick out a movie. She searched through for a minute and found "From Here to Eternity"; not a musical, but an excellent film, and one she was sure Puck would enjoy.

Puck returned to the living room with a bowl of popcorn and two soda cans. "What movie did you get, Rach?" he asked. "She replied "'From Here to Eternity', Noah. It's about Pearl Harbor, and Deborah Kerr is in it, so you can see who she was." Puck was surprised at her selection (no singing or dancing) but said nothing. He placed the snacks on the coffee table, popped the DVD in the player, and sat down next to Rachel on the sofa. She snuggled into him, and he placed his arm around her and turned on the movie.

Some time later, Nana Connie and Rebecca returned home to find the two teenagers asleep, cuddled together on the sofa, the movie long over. Connie hushed Rebecca and sent her off to her room. She smiled tenderly at the domestic scene and gently placed a comforter over them, then quietly slipped into her bedroom to call Esther and share in her discovery.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hope you enjoyed. More to come... :-)


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The remaining time in Columbus passed swiftly and uneventfully. Puck and Rachel sang for Nana Connie's maj group: a pinch of Neil, a dash of Barbra, and a few "golden oldies" to round out the program. Shelby's aunt was present, but if she recognized Rachel she gave no indication, and Connie offered no introduction beyond "my Noah's friend Rachel". Finn had dutifully called Rachel every night; their conversations were considerate but brief, and the youthful endearments that once peppered their banter had all but disappeared. Friday quickly rolled around, and they were on the road to Lima, and eventually, back to McKinley's hallowed halls.

Sam returned from Kentucky on Saturday and confirmed he would not be visiting his family during Easter break, needing the hours at Sheets and Things more than another vacation. He was pleased to be included in the upcoming Passover festivities, now three weeks away, and, when asked, mentioned to Rachel that he would appreciate it if she would invite Mercedes. Since the re-combination of the two "rival" Glee Clubs, Rachel and Mercedes had begun their first tenuous steps toward friendship, and Rachel told Sam that she would be happy to extend an invitation to her on his behalf.

The first day back to school arrived unceremoniously. Rachel had spent the night before engrossed in The Catcher in The Rye, surprised that a book written so long ago was still relatable today. She had continued reading during her morning elliptical routine and was more than half way through. Finn had arranged to pick her up before school that morning, and Sam had decided to ride separately so he could go to his job directly from school.

Rachel awaited Finn's arrival, her feelings conflicted. On one hand, she was happy to see her boyfriend after a ten-day separation; on the other, after verbalizing her feelings, she could no longer deny her deep connection with Puck. She certainly didn't want to add any fuel to the fire under the bubbling cauldron of drama that is by nature high school. She, after all, _is_ an actress; she decided to utilize those skills and behave as if nothing had changed, and let nature take its course.

Finn pulled up to the house, parked his car, came to the door, and rang the bell. Rachel answered it, only to be enveloped in a huge hug. As they kissed, and Finn attempted to deepen the kiss, Rachel instinctively drew back. "What's the matter, Rach?" he worried. "Aren't you happy to see me?" "Of course, Finn," she quickly countered, "it's just that my dads are home, and well…" Rachel smiled hopefully up at Finn, and he seemed satisfied with her response. She put on her coat, grabbed her books, shouted her good-bye to her fathers, and left with Finn for school.

Soon they were back in school, as if the week away had never transpired. Rachel and Finn stood outside of Rachel's locker as she was getting her things together for her first classes. Rachel was deep in her own thoughts when Finn's voice broke through "Rach, are you OK? You seem, I don't know, kind 'a far away or somethin'". Great job acting, Rachel thought; no Tony for _this_ performance. "I'm fine, Finn, just preoccupied right now. Regionals are around the corner, after all, and we still don't have a set list." Rachel smiled at Finn and thought to herself: good recovery, girlfriend. Finn, on the other hand, thought: here we go again, Glee Club. Doesn't she think of anything else…like sex?

Since their classes were in opposite directions, Finn and Rachel split up and headed toward their respective home rooms. When she arrived, she caught Puck's eye and smiled genuinely, which he returned, and she sat down in the desk next to his. They began a conversation of no particular consequence, and were in mid-discussion when Quinn Fabray sat down behind Rachel and whispered in her ear "If you two don't quit eye-fucking soon, it'll get back to Finn. Just saying…"

Rachel, aghast (partly due to Quinn's vocabulary), turned to face Quinn, and primly retorted "Quinn, I have no idea what you are talking about. Noah and I were just discussing possible songs for the Regionals set list." Quinn gave her a knowing look and said, "OK, just keep telling yourself that, Rachel." Puck looked at Quinn quizzically, as he had no idea what had triggered their discourse, and Quinn simply smiled and shrugged her shoulders. He looked at Rachel, who offered a similar gesture. "Women!" he said exasperatedly. The bell rang, and the first day back to school had officially begun.

During the course of the day, Rachel met up with Mercedes and extended an invitation to Passover dinner. Mercedes, although surprised, graciously accepted Rachel's offer. She generously asked Rachel if there was anything that she could bring, and Rachel politely declined, explaining (at a high level) the Passover dietary restrictions. She also asked Mercedes not to broadcast this to the Glee Club, as there were only a few people invited and she didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

As Rachel turned to walk way, Mercedes stopped her. "Rachel, do you have a minute?" she inquired. "Of course, Mercedes; what's on your mind?" she replied. "Well…I've wanted to apologize for a while, now, Rachel." Rachel was surprised by the girl's admission, although she tried to hide it. "You were really great as 'Maria'; I never could have done that," she humbly conceded. "Of course you could, Mercedes. You're an excellent singer," Rachel complimented. "Thanks, Rachel, but that's not it, exactly."

Mercedes paused, and then said "For you, it was all about the play and being 'Maria'. For me, it was all about me; having the spotlight on me and singing in front of an audience. I didn't get it until I saw your performance." Rachel was about to respond, when Mercedes continued, "Shane convinced me to try out." She whispered in Rachel's ear "He was my first. I never thought anybody would feel like that about me, and he could get me to do just about anything…obviously."

Rachel was not altogether surprised by Mercedes confession, having lost her virginity to Finn only a few months prior. "I understand completely, Mercedes," Rachel said comfortingly, "and thank you for the compliment." "Thanks, Rachel. I'm glad we talked." Mercedes hugged Rachel, tentatively at first, but friendship and mutual admiration apparently trumps petty rivalry, and the girls genuinely embraced, friends once again.

The remainder of the school day flew by, and by 4:00 Finn dropped Rachel off at her home. She lightly kissed him on the lips and exited from the car. So much for Monday, and the almost carbon-copy days that followed.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Between school, basketball practice, study group, his job at Sheets and Things, Glee Club rehearsals, and volunteering at the Temple, Puck had little idle time. It was a rare occasion when he got home before his sister, who was now old enough to be left unsupervised after school when Puck's job or extra-curricular activities intervened. Puck grabbed the mail before entering the house. He took a soda out of the refrigerator, cracked it open, and sat down at the kitchen table to sort through the mail. He came across the envelope he had been both anticipating and dreading in equal measure: a letter addressed to Mr. Noah Puckerman, from New York University.

Puck held the letter in his right hand unopened and tapped it against his left palm, thinking back on the events that had led to this moment:

_Puck had been incarcerated in Juvenile Detention for almost three weeks when he was notified that he had a visitor. He was genuinely surprised; it was a weekday, so it wouldn't be Rachel (or one of his other friends who rarely visited) and it wasn't his mother's day off. He was escorted to the receiving area where waiting for him was Michael Adler, the cantor from his Temple. The Cantor extended his right hand, and they shook hands. "Hello, Noah," the Cantor greeted him. "Puck," Puck corrected him. "All right, Puck, then," he amended. "Cantor Mike," Puck began, "thanks for comin', but what are ya doin' here?"_

"_Well, Puck," the Cantor began, "you probably don't know this, but not so long ago, I was a troubled young man not unlike yourself. I was extremely fortunate to have someone in my corner; your grandfather, Cantor Nathan Cohen." Puck was startled, and it was reflected in his expression. Aside from his Nana's occasional anecdotes, nobody mentioned his grandfather, who had passed away shortly before he was born, and for whom he was named._

"_I can see you had no idea that I knew your family, Puck," the Cantor continued. "I grew up in Columbus; actually, when we were kids, your Nana tried to fix me up with your mother." Puck grinned lopsidedly and replied "No offense or anything, Cantor Mike, but my Nana always did have lousy 'gaydar'". The Cantor chuckled and responded "None taken, Puck; I wasn't exactly honest with myself about that back then, anyway. Maybe that's why I was so angry and started lashing out; kids weren't as open thirty years ago as they are today. Nobody wants to be different, and everybody aspires to be popular. The two are polar opposites; at least, they were when I was your age."_

_Puck was listening intently and the Cantor could see that he had the teen's attention. He continued, "I realize our motivation was very different, but the net result was the same: two angry young men with a propensity for fighting, a seemingly reserved seat in detention, and the distinction of the local police force knowing us on a first name basis."_

_The Cantor's confession had really hit home for Puck. He was shocked to learn that this patient, respected community leader had a past that rivaled his own, and humbled that he would confide in Puck with such personal information. He finally spoke, "Thanks, Cantor; I had no idea. How did ya ever turn things around? I figured I'd end up like my dad, a deadbeat who skipped town without lookin' back, or worse, landin' my ass in jail." Cantor Adler was pleased to see that he had piqued Puck's interest; he realized that Puck could have easily dismissed his admission and retreated further down his self-destructive path._

"_I'm glad you asked, Puck," the Cantor replied. "That's where your grandfather came in. He saw potential in me that not even my family perceived, and he was determined to help me realize that potential. He was a great man, your grandfather, and I will always be in his debt." The Cantor paused and noticed Puck's almost hopeful expression. He continued, "He believed that 'idle hands are the devil's workshop', and kept me so busy after school that I had no time to look for trouble. He always made time for me, too; in fact, he was the first person that I 'came out' to, and he never judged or chastised me."_

_The Cantor paused again and made eye contact with Puck. He sincerely stated, "I believe that your grandfather would expect me to reach out and become the mentor to you that he was to me, and, if you're willing, that is what I would like to do." Puck felt somewhat conflicted as he thought the proposal over; he realized that it was extremely generous of Cantor Mike to offer himself as a mentor, but Puck wasn't sure that he wanted it or, quite frankly, if he deserved it. He did realize this might be an earlier ticket out of Juvie so…why not?_

_Puck accepted, "Thanks, Cantor Mike. I appreciate all'a this, more than I can tell ya. Just…don't expect me comin' out any time soon." The Cantor laughed at his response, and stated, "Don't worry, Puck. Based on some of the Sisterhood gossip I've heard, I have no expectation of that particular admission." For the first time, Puck felt remorseful rather than proud of his cougar-chasing exploits, and blushed slightly at the Cantor's reply._

_The Cantor glanced at his watch and stated, "Well, this has been a good visit, but, unfortunately, I have to get back before evening services. I'll see you in a few days, and we'll begin planning out a course of action for you once you're released. That may be earlier than expected, actually," he paused and noticed Puck's astonished expression. "I hoped you would be amenable to my offer and I asked LeRoy Barry to do some pro bono work on your behalf to see if your time here can be reduced." "Thank you, Cantor Mike," Puck quietly exclaimed, and extended his hand. They shook hands, Cantor Adler left, and Puck was led back to his cell._

_Over the next weeks, Puck learned the conditions of his early release: his community service would be performed at the Temple, and would include but not be limited to assisting with the Temple's after-school program, providing maintenance and grounds keeping as needed, and supporting the Cantor and Rabbi with administrative tasks when the Temple secretary was unavailable. This would be coordinated with his job at Sheets and Things, which he needed to repay the convenience store for the damage that he had caused._

_Puck was expected to improve his grades and attend classes regularly; as long as he did so, he would be allowed to participate in school sports and Glee Club. Rachel was already on board with this, and had been providing his homework and assignments during her visits. She had also arranged with Artie Abrams to begin bi-weekly study sessions as soon as he was released. He would be meeting with his parole officer every other week and would also be given court-ordered therapy sessions._

_Life post-Juvie was very different for Puck. At first it was challenging not to fall into old behaviors, especially with boys looking to raise themselves on the popularity hierarchy by challenging his "legendary bad-assedness". Fortunately, he had Rachel, Artie, and, for a time, Lauren Zizes in his corner, keeping him on the right path._

_Years of baby sitting his little sister made him an ideal candidate for the Temple after-school program. He had the patience to manage their short attention spans and the instinct to know when they were bullshitting him. He would bring his guitar and they would sing; primarily songs he had learned in Hebrew school, along with Disney tunes that the children requested. He was able to (non-violently, of course) control a couple of the more recalcitrant little boys, something which the female supervisors were unable to do; Puck figured that "it takes one to know one", after all._

_As time allowed, Puck sought out Cantor Adler. They discussed anything and everything, and, for the first time, Puck had a stable male adult role model. He learned that the Cantor had majored in music at Julliard and used to play in a piano bar while he was working on his cantorial degree. Performing administrative tasks in the office opened his eyes to the running of a Temple, and he was surprised to find this more interesting than he would have imagined. Much to his mother's delight, he became a more active participant in Shabbat services; sometimes taking on the role of an usher and, occasionally, chanting a prayer on the Bimah when a more seasoned congregant was unavailable._

_By the end of Junior Year, Puck's community service had been completed, and his parole officer had congratulated him on his surprising turn-around and wished him well in his future endeavors. The old Puck would have immediately resigned from all Temple-related activities and gone out in search of a bottle of Jack Daniel's and a couple of Cheeri-hos. Fortunately, the "new" Puck did none of those things and, instead, kept up with all of his now volunteer work. The after-school program had become "summer camp", and he organized softball games for the children. His pool cleaning business became strictly that, much to the chagrin of his primary customers, but if his clientele diminished, he was too busy elsewhere to even notice._

_Senior Year began without fanfare; along with it came football practice, class elections…and college applications. Until recently, Puck had never considered college; aside from the financial aspects, his Freshman and Sophomore year grades had been less than stellar and his "permanent record" probably filled several binders, if not a full shelf in Ms. Pillsbury's office. He figured that the best he could do was to attend trade school or community college, and he wasn't sure what he would study, anyway._

_About two weeks into the school year, he was talking with Cantor Adler when the older man inquired, "So, Puck, what do you plan to take up in college?" Puck answered, rather dejectedly, "Honestly, Cantor Mike, I have no idea. My Ma works so hard just to put dinner on the table, and I do what I can to help, so there's not a lot of money floating around for a four-year degree. Besides, I don't know what I would do. Maybe something with music, but I'm not sure where that'd get me…" The Cantor smiled, and said "Puck, have you ever considered doing what I do?"_

_Puck snapped his head up and looked quizzically at the Cantor. He had never in his wildest dreams thought about going into the clergy. "Think about it," Cantor Adler continued. "You definitely have the voice for it. You're great with the kids, and they all look up to you. From the conversations we've had, it seems like you have a genuine interest in how a Temple is run." He paused, and noticed a spark of interest in Puck's eyes. "It's a great gig, too, you know. You get to sing every day, you have a dedicated audience, and you don't have to contend with tour busses or roadies stealing you blind." He saw Puck grin, and said "Besides, you don't have to give up Rock and Roll completely. You can still play in local bars after Shabbat and on Sundays. It might not be a glamorous career, but it's a rewarding one."_

_Puck's mind was reeling with the possibilities. His mother and Nana would be over the moon…and Rachel would be so proud of him…_

_Puck spoke up, "That sounds great, and all, Cantor Mike, but where would I go and how could I possibly be able to afford it?" "Leave that to me," the Cantor replied. "I have a friend in the department of Hebrew and Judaic studies at NYU. With a letter of recommendation from me, maybe from your coach, one of your teachers, even your parole officer, I'm certain we could get you a scholarship. You could major in that, maybe minor in music and psychology. After you got your BA, you would attend a Cantorial College for your MA. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it; it's a few years down the road." Puck was astounded; he'd never considered himself scholarship material let alone a Masters' degree candidate. But New York University…and Rachel would be in New York; of that he was certain, if she had to walk there, suitcase on her back, she would be there come September._

"_In fact," the Cantor recalled, "one of my former classmates is a cantor in a Conservative synagogue in Brooklyn. He and his wife have a duplex, and they rent one side of it out to students. I'll bet if you'd help out at the shul, maybe take care of the mikva, you could live there for a very nominal cost. If you'd like, I'll send him an email to inquire." Puck was momentarily speechless. His future seemed to be falling into place in front of him._

"_Cantor Mike, I can't thank you enough. Nobody has ever gone out on a limb for me the way that you have," Puck gratefully replied. "How will I ever be able to repay you?" The Cantor smiled and said, "One day, you will encounter a young man much like you were. Reach out to him the way I reached out to you, and the way your grandfather did to me. Continue your grandfather's legacy. He would have been immensely proud of you."_

As Puck reflected on the journey that had led to this moment, the envelope weighed heavily in his hands. He was alone in the house, the perfect time to deal with rejection. He carefully slit the top of the envelope and pulled out the enclosed letter. He quickly scanned it: "Congratulations, Mr. Puckerman… blah, blah…New York University…fall semester 2013…blah, blah, blah…College of Arts and Letters…Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies…blah, blah…full scholarship…Holy Shit! A full scholarship; this was too good to be true. Puck grinned broadly. Just wait until he told his ma and Nana…and Rachel…with her in New York, and Finn anywhere else…_fan-fuckin-tastic_!

Puck considered his alternatives; although he was tempted to shout this news from the rooftop, he decided to wait until after spring break to share it with his friends. He figured he would tell his mother when she got home from work, and they would call Nana Connie together. Just as long as she didn't blab to Rachel's Bubbe, because this was one surprise he wanted to spring on Rachel at just the right moment…at the Passover Seder, with Finn present and accounted for.

* * *

**Author's note**: Long chapter, I know, to make up for the prior short one. I didn't see a natural break point, so this was the result. Anybody surprised with Puck's career path?

I wasn't sure whom I would cast as the cantor; possibly Hank Azaria (yes, I know that he's not gay).

FYI…A bimah is the stage or platform in a temple or synagogue sanctuary from where the services are conducted. "Shul" is another term for synagogue. A mikvah is a ceremonial pool that is used for ritual immersion, primarily for women, although men also use it under some circumstances. There is a great deal of information available on the internet, but I didn't want to leave anybody completely in the dark.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The weeks between mid-winter and spring break ran together in a blur of homework, papers, quizzes, basketball games, and Glee Club rehearsals. Suddenly it was Thursday, the day before Good Friday, which was also the first night of Passover.

Puck's mother had driven to Columbus and retrieved Puck's Nana and Rachel's Bubbe and Zadie earlier in the week. Rachel's Bubbe had been a whirlwind of cooking and baking. Since Rachel had entered high school, each year she coerced Rachel into helping under the guise of "passing on family recipes", which, in her grandmother's mind, meant "learning to be a good Jewish wife"…which _actually_ meant "learning to be _Noah's_ wife." The grandmothers had been plotting and planning since their infancy and were never dissuaded, not even during Rachel's and Puck's first year (or so) of high school, when Rachel was the recipient of Puck's (or one of his minions') slushy attacks, and the entirety of their conversations were akin to "please pass the _fill-in-the-blank_", "excuse me", and "thank you".

On this particular Thursday afternoon, Rachel and Finn were walking, hand in hand, toward the lunchroom. Finn opened the conversation, "Say, Rach, my Mom and Burt would really like to, um, bring a bottle of wine to dinner and weren't sure what to get, ya know, being Passover, and all." "That's so nice of them," Rachel replied gratefully. "Please thank your mother for me, and ask her to call my fathers. Either of them will be able to offer some suggestions." "By the way, Rach, who exactly will be at this dinner tomorrow?" Finn inquired cautiously. Rachel blanched slightly; this was a conversation she had been, if not dreading, at least, not looking forward to. She sighed lightly and began "Well, my fathers, my Bubbe and Zadie, who are Daddy's parents, and me. There's your mom and Burt; you, Kurt, and Blaine. Samuel will be present, and I invited Mercedes as his dinner companion." Rachel took breath and quickly added "And Noah's family: his mom, his Nana, himself, of course, and Rebecca."

Finn began by saying "Nana Connie? Cool, I haven't seen her in for…_what __the_ _fuck_, Rachel, _Puck_? Why is _he_ going to be there?" Finn was clearly agitated; he had dropped Rachel's hand and was facing her directly. Rachel did not chastise Finn for his language, but answered calmly, attempting to placate him, "Finn, our families always celebrate the Jewish holidays together. His Nana and my Bubbe have been best friends since they were girls. I thought you knew…" Rachel, who realized all along that Finn had no idea whatsoever, managed to look innocently at him, as if she was imparting information that should have been common knowledge. "I'm sorry, Finn, is there a problem?" she asked politely.

Damn that Puck, Finn thought, always lurking around somewhere. "Of course not, Rach, I'm just kinda surprised, is all…" he replied. "I mean, you were his main slushy target for, like, _ever_…" Rachel sighed and responded, "Yes, Finn, but that's all in the past. Noah has changed a lot, and you should really give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you could try to be friends again..." Finn quickly countered, "I don't know about that, Rach…once a two-timer, always a two-timer, ya know? But…I promise to be on my best behavior, just for you."

Rachel smiled at Finn, reached on her tip-toes, and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Thank you, Finn!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure you'll have a great time. Be prepared to sing, too. You know no Berry family occasion is complete without lots of singing after dinner!" Rachel was smiling broadly, and since Finn realized that the best defense was usually a good offense, he smiled back and said, "Sounds cool, Rach. Come on, let's get some lunch." Truth be told, Finn thought it would be the opposite of cool, and only wished he had a way out. However, he was determined to hold on to Rachel, and if breaking bread (crackers, whatever) with her family was what it took, he would do it.

Once classes had ended, it was time for the last Glee Club rehearsal before the break. Several of the teens were going on vacation and were excitedly comparing notes. Artie would be in Florida visiting his grandparents, and Finn and Kurt were leaving on Saturday for a week in Washington, D.C. with Carol and Burt. Quinn and her mother were planning on driving to New Haven to check out Yale's campus, and she was engrossed in conversation with Brittany and Santana regarding what she should pack. Mike had his audition for the Joffrey Ballet Academy and was traveling with his mother and Tina to Chicago. Since Tina was considering Northwestern as a possible college option, they were going to accompany her on a tour, as well. Finn and Rachel sat next to each other, his arm possessively around her shoulders. Puck sat on her other side, much to Finn's displeasure; Finn glared at him, and he lounged in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, and smirked back as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Will Schuester entered the choir room and clapped his hands to get everybody's attention. "Listen up, guys. Regionals are less than a month away and we still don't have a cohesive set list." Talking ceased, and all eyes were on Will. "In case you don't remember, the theme is 'Love'," he continued. "Any suggestions?"

As usual, Rachel was the first to raise her hand. "Yes, Rachel?" Mr. Schue said patiently. His demeanor may have been calm, but he was inwardly shaking his head and thinking that he'd bet good money she was going to name a Barbra Streisand song. "How about 'Evergreen', Mr. Schue," she offered, "from the third remake of 'A Star Is Born'?" Will had a hard time not rolling his eyes or laughing, and he was sorely tempted to do both. He understood that Rachel, although transparent in her desire to showcase herself, really meant well, but she was _so_ predictable. "Thank you, Rachel," he replied, "we can certainly add it to the list. Any others…Kurt?" In short order, the group came up with about 15 songs, none of which would necessarily 'mash up' well, but, at least, they had a start.

"OK, guys," Mr. Schue said, "This is a great beginning. If you happen to think of anything during your break, please feel free to share it at our next meeting, which is after what I hope will be a wonderful holiday for everybody. I'm going let you go a little early today. Have a great vacation!" The kids filtered out in twos and threes, happy in the knowledge that there was only one more school day to contend with before Spring Break.

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**Author's Note**: Be patient, people. "Finchel" is winding down, I promise.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

On Good Friday, the Lima public school system traditionally dismissed their students at lunchtime. This gave those who were so inclined the opportunity to attend afternoon Mass without missing school. It also gave everybody (faculty and students alike) an extra half-day of freedom.

Rachel was especially anxious for the evening's festivities, and she and Sam returned directly to the Berry household without stopping for lunch. The house was a flurry of activity; there were wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen, and the opening and closing of the oven door echoed through the downstairs. "Rachel, darling, is that you?" Mrs. Lieberman called out. "Yes, Bubbe," Rachel replied, "Sam and I are home from school."

"Samuel, dear, would you mind bringing up some chairs from the basement?" she asked. "Yes, Mrs. Lieberman, right away," Sam replied. "Samuel, dear, what did I ask you to call me?" the older woman teasingly asked. "Yes, Bubbe Esther," Sam dutifully replied. "I'll go and get the chairs for you as soon as I put my stuff down."

After Sam carried the extra chairs into the dining room and Rachel changed out of her school clothes, the teens sat down for a quick lunch. Sam left to run an errand, and Rachel remained behind to begin final preparations for the evening meal. "Rachel, dear, I would appreciate it if you'd make the charoset now. That needs to sit a while until dinner," her Bubbe asked her. "OK, Bubbe, I'll take care of it," Rachel replied.

Rachel took two apples out of the refrigerator and washed and dried them. Using a grater, she filled the bowl her grandmother had provided with the apples. Rachel then added some ground walnuts and cinnamon and mixed the contents together. "Now what, Bubbe?" Rachel queried. "Rachel, take some sweet wine and add just a bit. Here, let me show you…" She took a bottle of blackberry wine and poured a small amount into the bowl, mixed, and tasted it. "Rachel, I think this could use a little honey, and maybe some more nuts and cinnamon," she recommended. Rachel did as instructed and tasted the concoction; it tasted delicious, just as she remembered from years past. "Bubbe, would you please taste this for me?" Her grandmother obliged and smiled, pleased with her granddaughter's endeavors. "Perfect, Rachel," she complimented, thinking to herself how much Puck would enjoy it, as it was one of his favorite Passover treats. "Just cover it with some plastic wrap and put it in the fridge," she instructed, "and please set the table."

Rachel always loved setting the table for Passover. The dishes were special, reserved just for the holiday, and had belonged to her grandmother and great-grandmother. When the Liebermans began spending Passover in Lima, they gave all of their Passover dishes, flatware, etc. to Hiram and LeRoy. There were a few pieces that Rachel secretly hoped that when she had her own home and began her own Passover traditions, her fathers might be willing to hand down to her.

The table finally completed, Rachel resumed her duties as sous chef to her grandmother; plating appetizers, slicing vegetables for the salad, and whatever finishing tasks needed to be completed. In the midst of these last-minute preparations, Sam walked in, carrying a large terrarium and a mixed bouquet. "Sam, that's so beautiful!" Rachel exclaimed. "Thanks, Rach," he replied.

"This is from 'Cedes, Kurt, Blaine, Finn, and me. It's for your dads," he paused, "well, for all of you, to thank you for inviting us tonight." "Thank you, Samuel, this is wonderful. I'm sure my dads will love it. Let's put it in the family room, where everybody will see it." They walked into the room, and Rachel showed Sam where to place the planter. He then returned to the kitchen and handed the flowers to Rachel's Bubbe. "These are for you, Bubbe Esther, from me, for what I know is going to be a delicious dinner." The older woman took the flowers from Sam and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, darling," she cooed, "you really shouldn't have." She smiled and winked at Sam, and continued "but I'm glad you did. Here, Rachel, please put these in some water." She handed the flowers to Rachel and exited the kitchen.

After attending to the flowers, Rachel took one final look at the table to make sure everything was in order. The table was set and the special Passover elements were in place. Her dads had come home early from their respective jobs and were now busy in the kitchen, giving her grandmother an opportunity to rest and freshen up before dinner. She glanced at the kitchen clock and realized that she needed to do the same.

As Rachel stood in the shower, hot water beating down, she reflected on the last few weeks. Originally, she wanted to share this special night with Finn to help him understand a part of her culture and how important her faith was to her. Now, she found herself caring less and less about Finn's reaction. Although he acted the part of the doting boyfriend during school hours, he no longer called her nightly, and she had noticed him discretely texting during their last date. He was continually extolling the virtues of Ohio State University, and was quick to point out that they had both music and theater arts programs, suggesting more than once that she apply there as a "backup".

Her thoughts drifted to Puck, and she smiled dreamily. He seemed different, especially recently. He was more self-assured than she ever remembered, and she saw fewer traces of "Puck" with each passing day. When their group of friends met for lunch, he appeared genuinely interested in everybody's plans, while Finn's primary focus remained himself. Their interactions could be categorized only as platonic, yet whenever their eyes met, she felt her pulse race.

As she dried herself off and began dressing, she reminded herself that her role of the night was "Finn's girlfriend". Although her romantic feelings had waned, she valued Finn's friendship and respected him as a person. All three teens knew first-hand the pain associated with cheating, and she was determined not to betray Finn by her actions, even if she no longer held him dearest in her heart.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note**: To thank you for your patience, a second chapter today. Hope you enjoy.

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Chapter 15

The first guests to arrive were the Puckermans. There were greetings of "Good Yontif", kisses among the adults, and a hug between Rebecca and Rachel. Rebecca whispered in Rachel's ear "Rachel, where's Sammy?" Rachel grinned and pointed toward the family room, and Rebecca left in search of her crush. Puck entered the house bearing a domed cake safe and headed toward the kitchen. Noticing this, Rachel teasingly inquired "Nana Connie, is that what I think it is?" Nana Connie enveloped Rachel in a hug, kissed her on the cheek, and replied "Yes, dear, your favorite; wine and nut sponge cake; special, just for you."

Rachel entered the kitchen to make sure that Puck found an appropriate spot for the cake (sure, Rachel, that's the reason). "Good Yontif, Noah," Rachel quietly said. Puck, who had already put the cake on the kitchen table, turned to face Rachel, and from his back pocket, removed a single red rose, tied to a small bunch of baby's breath with a lavender ribbon. "Good Yontif to you, Rachel," he said tenderly, handing her the flower. "Thank you, Noah," Rachel said gently as she bent her head to breathe in its delicate scent. As she looked up, he reached forward to brush a piece of stray hair off of her face, maintaining eye contact with her. Rachel blushed and demurely glanced away, scanning the table in the process.

"So many carbs…" she began ruefully, attempting to diffuse the intimacy of the moment. "I'll need to add an extra half hour to my elliptical time." Puck chuckled and said, "Please, Rach, if anyone doesn't need to count calories, it's you." He bent close to her and seductively whispered in her ear, "besides, babe, it's just more cushion for the pushin'." Not too long ago, Rachel would have slapped his face; tonight, she blushed even more deeply as her pulse quickened. Rachel was about to reply when she heard the Hudson-Hummels entering the house. "Everybody's arriving, now, Noah," she said, briefly taking his hand and squeezing it. "Please be good." She placed the rose in a nearby vase that already housed another bouquet and exited the kitchen, Puck gazing after her.

Burt and Carol Hummel, arrived with their sons, Finn and Kurt, and Blaine and Mercedes followed closely behind. Hiram was in process of introducing Burt and Carol to his parents when Rachel entered upon the scene. Finn placed a small bouquet of pink tulips in her hands and they kissed chastely. "Happy Passover, Rachel," he said. "Thank you, Finn. Thank you for the flowers, too, they're lovely," she replied. "I'll put them in some water and be right back." As Rachel headed once again toward the kitchen, Puck walked in. "Hudson," he said, extending his right hand to Finn. "Puck," Finn curtly replied; they shook hands, Finn eying Puck suspiciously, and Puck returning a nonchalant expression.

Upon Rachel's return to their guests, she took her grandparents over to meet her friends. Finn, who had met the Liebermans previously, said his polite hellos and moved on to the Puckermans. "Hey, Ms. P!" he greeted Puck's mom, and kissed her on the cheek. Nana Connie rushed over and exclaimed "Finneleh! Come, give Nana Connie some sugar!" He kissed her similarly, and she commented, "If you get any taller, dear, I believe I'll need a step ladder just to say hello." She winked at him and he smiled, and they proceeded to make small talk.

Mercedes, who had by now met everybody, excused herself to find Sam. Rachel had directed her to the family room where he remained, cornered by the enamored Rebecca. Mercedes surveyed the scene before walking over to the sofa where they were situated. Sam felt relieved to see her, stood up, and they hugged. Rebecca remained seated, glowering with jealousy. Sam introduced them "'Cedes, this is Rebecca Puckerman, Puck's sister; Becca, this is Mercedes Jones, one of my friends from school." Mercedes smiled and graciously said "Hello, Rebecca," and Rebecca retorted "Hi, Mercedes. Are you Sammy's girlfriend?" Mercedes sat down beside Rebecca on the sofa, smiled, and said, "No, Rebecca, Sam and I are friends, just like I am with Rachel and your brother."

Rebecca noticeably diffused after that admission. "I love Rachel," she confided in Mercedes, "just like a sister. I wish she was my sister. My Nana says that maybe some day she _will_ be. I sure hope so." Mercedes' expression reflected her extreme interest in this particular disclosure, to which Rebecca responded, "Oh-oh. Nana said I'm not supposed to talk about that, or I could jinx it. Noey and Rachel don't know, please don't say anything," she pleaded. Rebecca had unknowingly provided ammunition to one of the biggest gossips at McKinley, and although she replied, "Don't worry, hon, I'll keep it under my hat," Mercedes was counting the minutes until she could pull Kurt aside to share this juicy tidbit.

Shortly thereafter, LeRoy Berry gathered everybody into the dining room and pointed out their seating. He instructed that the adults' wine glasses be filled accordingly and that the kids' be supplemented with sparkling grape juice. Puck was less than pleased, but a stern look from his mother ended any hope of a reprieve (for taking wine), and he remained momentarily quiet. Rachel took a flat basket containing yarmulkes of various colors and handed the basket to her grandfather, who took one and passed the basket down the table. "All of the men, if you would please take a yarmulke and put it on," Hiram instructed, "then we will begin the Seder." Puck pulled out a crocheted yarmulke from his shirt pocket and placed it on his head. "Rachel noticed it and exclaimed, "Noah, I can't believe you still have that!" "What do you think, Rach? You made it for my Bar Mitzvah, why wouldn't I have kept it?" he asked. Finn looked displeased at this disclosure, but opted to keep silent.

As the basket came around, Finn took one out and looked at the stamping on the inside "**Jacob's Bar Mitzvah March 17 2007**". He placed it on his head as he had seen the others do and commented "I think this is from Jacob Ben-Israel's Bar Mitzvah. At least, that is what it says." Rachel wrinkled her nose disgustedly and Puck remarked "That kid was a perv even back then. He wouldn't leave Rachel alone until I threatened to give him the worst wedgie of his life." He chuckled at the memory, and his mother admonished, "Noah, really!"

Blaine readily took a yarmulke and put it on, while Kurt gingerly removed one as if it was going to bite him…well, at least muss his carefully arranged coiffure. "Sorry, Kurt," Rachel said, "you have to wear it for the Seder. I promise it will be over within a half an hour or so and you can remove it afterward if you choose to." She smiled understandingly, and Kurt acquiesced, worrying about how long it would take him to fix his hair afterward.

Mercedes inquired "Rachel, you called this a 'Seder'. We've talked about this at church before, but they never explained exactly what it means." "Seder literally means 'order', Mercedes; thanks for asking. There is an order to all of the little rituals and events that occur until we stop to eat dinner. Some families will pick up again after dinner and can go late into the night, but we don't," Rachel explained. "There are mostly prayers and songs afterward, and we'll have our own musical interlude; secular, of course, but always entertaining." Rachel grinned, looking forward to the evening ahead.

Blaine then spoke up, "Rachel, before we begin, I have a question, too, if you don't mind. What is that platter for?" He pointed at a large platter close to the middle of the table with various food objects on it. "Good question, Blaine," Rachel commented. "That is a Seder Plate. The items on it signify certain aspects of the Passover holiday."

"The bitter herbs," she pointed to some sliced white onions in the center of the plate, "indicate the bitter lives that the Hebrew slaves endured. The charoset," she continued, pointing at the brownish mixture toward the lower right, "represents the mortar that was used to build the bricks. It's made from grated apples and walnuts and is very delicious." "It's the _bomb_!" Puck interjected with a grin. Rachel smiled and stated "Toward the end of the Seder, we eat some of the charoset spread on a small piece of matzoh and topped with some onion. This is to remind us that in life we must learn to accept the bitter along with the sweet."

Rachel paused and glanced at her audience. All eyes were focused on her. Enjoying the attention, she smiled, and began again, "The shank bone," she pointed at the smallish bone in the upper right, "stands for the lambs that were sacrificed to mark the doorposts of Jewish homes with their blood. During the final plague, the 'Slaying of the First Born', the Angel of Death _passed over_ those homes, and spared them. The karpas, or green vegetable, symbolizes springtime, when Passover occurs." Rachel paused and pointed to a lacy sprig of parsley at the lower left." Rachel explained, "A green vegetable will be dipped in salt water early on in the Seder; this represents the tears that the Hebrew slaves shed during their captivity." Rachel then pointed to the hard-boiled egg in the upper left of the plate. "The hard boiled egg is a symbol for the cycle of life and the hope for a new beginning."

"Wow, thanks, Rach! That's really cool," Blaine responded enthusiastically, and others murmured in agreement. "I never knew there was so much symbolism involved in the holiday." Rachel smiled and graciously replied, "You're welcome, Blaine. I'm glad to have shared that. Before we begin, are there any more questions?" she inquired.

Kurt inquired, "Yes, I have one. Why is there a filled wine glass in the middle of the table?" Puck said "Mind if I answer that one, Rach?" Rachel smiled and shook her head. "That is for the Prophet Elijah; the story goes that he visits every Seder and takes a sip of the wine before he leaves. I have a funny story about that…" Puck paused, looked at Rachel, and she rolled her eyes and nodded her head, acknowledging that he could repeat the anecdote. "When we were five or six, we were at Rach's aunt and uncle's house. There's a part where you're supposed to go to the front door and open it; that means that anybody who's hungry can come in, hear the Story, and have dinner. Anyway, Rach's uncle had left the table for a few minutes, and Dr. Berry sent her to open the door. She opened it; there was a man in a white robe with the hood hiding his face. She totally freaked out!" He was laughing now, and concluded, "Fu…I mean, really hilarious. Rach, I can still see the expression on your face!"

Rachel, laughing with everyone despite her embarrassment, responded "Thank you, Noah, for that trip down memory lane. If there are any more questions…" She looked around the table and saw no indication, then said, "I guess not." She smiled and said, "Then we can begin."

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**Author's Notes**: A longer chapter to make up for some of the shorter ones, and some Puck/Rachel interaction. I hope the information wasn't too boring. In my office we take diversity very seriously. Last year, I made charoset and brought it to a team meeting…Yum. BTW, the story about the man dressing up actually happened to a friend of mine when he was a child.

FYI, "Good Yontif" (sometimes "Gut Yontif", although I have never personally heard it that way) is a Yiddish(ish) greeting that is generically used during a Jewish holiday to mean "Happy Holiday". "Yontif" is derived from two Hebrew words: "Yom" means day and "Tov" means good.

Technically, in a more religious household, the Seder wouldn't begin, especially on a Friday evening, until after returning from evening services. Many families (mine included) opt to begin earlier. This seemed the more likely route for the characters in the story.

A yarmulke (or kippah) is the skullcap that Jewish men wear during religious services and ceremonies. They cover their heads in deference to G-d, and to remind themselves of G-d's presence.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When Rachel was explaining some of the Passover customs, Finn listened, but with only half an ear. What kept running through his head was "Are you sure you want this in your life?" He finally realized that, although there were some aspects of Rachel's personality that he might be able to temper with time, her beliefs were too important for her to disregard. This was fun, and he was surprisingly glad to be present; he just doubted that he wanted to participate on an annual basis, or, for that matter, play host in his and Rachel's future home. He was starting to feel relieved that he had not purchased a ring.

There were booklets that appeared to be bound backward at everybody's place settings with the "Passover Haggadah" on the cover. Hiram held up his book and explained "This is the Haggadh, which means 'telling', as in telling the Passover story. Since Hebrew is read from right to left, opposite of how we read English, it opens the opposite way, too." Their guests appeared a bit concerned, so he smiled and added, "Don't worry; aside from a few prayers, we read this through in English. We'll begin on page four."

Rachel's Zadie began by reading a paragraph in English about the Sabbath being a day of rest. He recited the blessing over the wine in Hebrew, as well as the English translation. He continued with a brief section in English thanking G-d for giving the Sabbath and the Passover Holiday, and concluded with a prayer of Thanksgiving, both in Hebrew and English. Then everybody drank some wine (or juice).

His next action was to take a small pitcher filled with water that was sitting in a bowl in front of him. He poured a minimal amount of water three times over his right hand, then his left hand, and dried them off on a towel that was also nearby. Kurt quietly asked "Rachel, why did your grandfather do that?" Rachel smiled and said "That is exactly why." Kurt responded quizzically, "Sorry, Rachel, I don't understand…"

Rachel looked at Kurt and explained, "Kurt, the main purpose of the Seder is to introduce children to the story of Passover; in a sense, bring them into the faith at an early age. Kids are pretty restless and bore easily. That is such an odd thing that it grabs their attention and draws them in. Technically, you wash your hands before eating, but the primary purpose here is to raise curiosity. Thanks for asking, Kurt; it was a really good question," she concluded with a smile.

Mr. Lieberman recited a blessing over the vegetable they were about to consume, once again in both Hebrew and English. He took a small piece of celery from a platter and dipped it into a bowl of salt water. He passed it to his wife, and then ate his celery; she did the same thing, and so on, until the tray had been passed around and everybody had their turn.

There was a plate on the table that held three matzohs. LeRoy took the matzoh from the middle and broke it in half, and replaced only half. He took the other half, folded it in a napkin, and excused himself momentarily. While he was gone, Hiram explained "the middle matzoh is called the 'Afikomen' which technically means 'that which comes after'. It is hidden, and it is up for the children to find it. The meal can't end until each participant eats a small piece, and the child holds it hostage, so to speak, for a nominal reward." He looked at Rebecca, grinned, and said "Becca, we'll leave that up to you."

Puck chuckled and interjected "I have to tell this; sorry Rach. When we were little, they usually hid it where Rachel could find it, which she did. Then, I would, like, steal it from her and hide it someplace else, and claim the prize at the end. It was usually, like, 50 cents or somethin' small, but it was just fun to beat Rach at her own game." He grinned at Rachel and continued, "One year, she decided to get even. After she found the matzo, she went in the bathroom and flushed it down the toilet." Everybody was laughing at this point, including Rachel. "What happened?" Mercedes asked. "Well, time came, there was no matzo. Rachel confessed and cried, I laughed my ass off; we used a different piece of matzo. The. End. Now I have this to hold over her head." He smirked at Rachel, and she smirked back.

Their friends were definitely surprised to learn of Puck's and Rachel's shared history, as well as witness the easy-going camaraderie between them. Sure, they had dated for about a minute before "babygate" broke, and they knew that Rachel and Artie were tutoring Puck, but, aside from that, during school hours there was little noticeable interaction between the pair. Despite improved grades and behavior largely to the contrary, some urban legends refused to die, and Puck was still considered by many to be a cougar-chasing badass in search of a bottle of JD and a good time.

Of the company present, only jealous, insecure Finn had observed the less-than-platonic glances and minute "tells" in their body language, suggesting to him that there might be something more going on. Their behavior tonight gave no indication of infidelity, which Finn actually would have preferred. He had begun texting with a couple of girls; nothing more, but that would have, in his mind, justified his behavior. He sadly had to concur, though, when he overheard Puck say years ago that it was "only natural" between the pair, Puck had been right.

Once Puck concluded his story, LeRoy, who had returned in the meantime, raised the plate with the now two and a half pieces of matzoh and read a brief passage in English about how matzoh represents the "bread of affliction" and that "all who are hungry, enter and eat thereof" to celebrate Passover. Rachel excused herself from the table, and as she had described earlier, opened the front door, although just a crack. Even though her Uncle Max was safely in Columbus at his own Seder, she might as well not take any chances.

Rachel returned to the table and sat down, Finn placing his arm over the back of her chair. Nana Connie said "Becca, dear, it's time for you to recite the Four Questions." Rebecca whined "But, Nana, Rachel and Noey will probably be away next year and we'll never get to hear them do it again. Can't they _please_ do it with me?" Only Finn and Rachel picked up on the "Puck being away next year" comment; Finn knitted his brows in consternation, and Rachel glanced inquiringly at Puck. Puck grinned and looked at Rachel, saying "Rach, I think we've been summoned." Finn removed his arm and Rachel pulled her chair out. As she walked around the table to stand behind Rebecca's chair with Puck, Blaine asked "Rachel, what are the 'Four Questions'?"

Rachel answered "They're questions, traditionally recited by the youngest child at the table, regarding aspects of the Passover meal that are different from every other night of the year. It's another way to engage the children, and although Rebecca is clearly no longer a child," Rachel paused, and Rebecca smiled and glanced discretely at Sam, "she is the youngest present today." "Thanks, Rachel," Blaine replied. "You're welcome, Blaine," Rachel affirmed.

Rachel stood behind Rebecca's chair and placed her hands on the top. Puck stood next to Rachel; his impulse was to put his arm around her, but Finn's facial expression reminded him to keep his hands to himself. The three of them chanted the Four Questions in Hebrew, Rachel and Puck lending back-up harmony Rebecca's lead. Once this was completed, Rachel and Puck returned to their seats, and Nana Connie followed in English with the response to the questions.

Before Rachel had a chance to sit down, though, her Bubbe spoke up, "Rachel, I think it is time to 'Bentch Lecht'." Rachel answered "OK, Bubbe" and went into the kitchen, where two candlesticks with fat, white candles were waiting on the kitchen table. Finn's back was to the kitchen, and he didn't turn to see where Rachel had gone. Puck, on the other hand, was facing the kitchen and found himself captivated by the activity in progress.

Rachel struck a match and, after lighting both candles, extinguished the match. She motioned her hands around the candles three times, drawing them toward her, and on the third time, covered her eyes with her hands. He could barely see her lips moving in the distance, although he knew she was saying the blessing over the Sabbath (and holiday) candles. Her face basked in the golden glow of the candlelight, and, to him, she had never appeared more beautiful and serene. Prayer completed, she uncovered her eyes and looked up, to see his spellbound gaze. She acknowledged him by smiling and mouthing "Good Shabbos", and then reentered the dining room, returning to her seat.

Hiram announced "I hope everybody is enjoying themselves so far. At this point, traditionally, we go around the table and take turns reading through the book in English; at least, the pseudo-biblical language the publishers used. It's not always the easiest to get through…" He looked among his guests and smiled, then continued, "Everybody is encouraged to participate, although you may pass if you prefer. When something different comes up, we'll explain it ahead of time."

Having spoken, Hiram began reading, and so it continued around the table. Readings covered explaining the story to a child based on their character, how the Jewish people found themselves in Egypt and why they became enslaved, eventually leading to the plagues that were executed upon the Egyptians. At that point, Puck interjected, "Mind if I take this?" LeRoy replied, "Of course not, Noah. Please continue."

Puck explained "When we read off the ten plagues, ya' take your knife and dip it into your wine glass and then tap it off on your plate. That's because of the animals that suffered, like the cattle and all, during the plagues." He commenced to read each plague off, and as he spilled a drop of wine/juice as he had described, everyone else followed suit.

Puck, grinning, then continued, "This is, like, my favorite part of the whole thing. A bunch of Rabbis are together, arguin' about how many plagues there really were." He began reading, and slipped into his impression of an elderly man with a heavy Yiddish accent when the Rabbi was supposed to be speaking. Sam, who was always ready with an impression, immediately joined in. Most of the guests were uncertain how to react. Rachel, however, looked away so as not to burst into laughter, as she had witnessed similar interactions during their study sessions. Mrs. Puckerman, though, had enough of their impromptu performance. "Thank you, Moe and Curly, for this evening's entertainment, but I believe that is just about enough for you two stooges." Puck could see that his mother was only mildly upset and acquiesced by dropping the accent and finishing the passage in his normal voice.

The reading continued briefly, and then Hiram spoke up, "The next section is a song, 'Dayenu'. It recounts everything that G-d did for the Jews during their years of wandering in the desert, and how any one thing would have been sufficient. Does anybody know why they endured that for 40 years?" he inquired. There was silence, and the group looked at each other. "Rachel, you know this; would you please explain?" he asked. "Well," Rachel said, "G-d realized that the people who had known nothing but slavery and oppression would not be able to live successfully as free men, and could possibly be enslaved by someone else. They wandered in the desert until the original generation had died out, and the next one, that had no conception of slavery, could enter the land of Israel as truly free men."

"Thank you, Rachel," Hiram said, and Rachel smiled at him. "We'll sing a verse; the chorus is pretty simple. Even though it's in Hebrew, you'll catch on right away." The Berry and Puckerman families sang the first verse, and then the chorus (which is basically repeating the word "Dayenu" in a catchy melody). By the completion of the second verse, Sam, Mercedes, and Blaine had joined in, and by the end of the third verse, everybody was singing (the chorus). Although Finn felt like a fish out of water, he continued to notice shared glances between Rachel and Puck, and his determination to keep them apart superseded his waning desire to stay together with Rachel.

After the singing concluded, everybody applauded, and the reading picked up again. The meaning of the Paschal lamb, the matzos, and the purpose of bitter herbs was reviewed, as well as a statement that each person should consider themselves as if they, too, had been freed in Egypt. The reading continued, and then Rachel's Zadie said another blessing over the wine, after which everybody drank from their wine glasses.

During the reading, Rachel had busied herself with constructing what she had described before the service began: she took bite-sized pieces of matzoh, spread some charoset (from a nearby bowl) on each piece, and topped each with a sliver of white onion. After blessing the wine, her grandfather had washed his hands again, this time saying a prayer, and then also blessed the matzoh, and the bitter herbs. He concluded the service with a brief explanation of the "sandwich" that Rachel had prepared, and she took one for herself and began passing the plate around.

Finn looked disconcertedly at the brownish mixture and considered politely leaving it in his plate. Others were eating it and apparently enjoying it. When Puck took his piece, he bit into it, grinned, and after swallowing, said "Bubbe Ess, this is _awesome_. Best ever!" Rachel's Bubbe smiled proudly and said "Noah, you really have Rachel to thank. She made the charoset this year." Puck's eyes were filled with admiration and Rachel blushed deeply when he said, "Totally awesome, Rach!" This discourse was not lost on Finn, and he decided to down the offending item in one bite. "This is really good, Rach," he complimented, but by then, Rachel had left the table to assist with serving dinner.

LeRoy graciously announced "This concludes the religious segment of the Passover meal. We're very happy to have shared this special service with you and hope you enjoyed it. I'll collect your books, and we'll begin dinner momentarily. Please feel free to remove your yarmulkes." Kurt excused himself to go to the bathroom to remove his yarmulke and fix his hair. LeRoy and Mrs. Lieberman joined Rachel in the kitchen, and dinner would be underway shortly.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Again, I hope the information wasn't too overwhelming. I attempted to give a glimpse of what it's like to participate in a Seder that is relatively traditional but not overly religious.

To "Bentch Lecht" (or licht) is to bless the Sabbath and/or holiday candles. This is done at or slightly before sunset. Bentch (pron. bench) = bless/say a blessing, Lecht/licht = light.

When my cousins were very little, they actually did flush the matzoh down the toilet.

Next chapter, we enjoy the festive meal, and college plans are revealed.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

While the change-over from Seder to dinner was underway, Mercedes excused herself from the table and made a bee-line toward the bathroom, where she was able to capture Kurt's attention and lead him away from the festivities. "Kurt," she whispered conspiratorially, "do you realize that the grandmothers are trying to get Puck and Rachel _together_? Puck's sister spilled something earlier; I don't think Puck and Rachel even know."

"I have gotten that distinct impression," Kurt whispered back, "and quite frankly, I don't think either of them would be opposed to the idea. Finn seems to have noticed, too," he continued, "and he doesn't look too pleased about it." "Do you think they've been cheating?" Mercedes eagerly asked. "From what I've gathered, I doubt it," Kurt confirmed. "My step-brother, on the other hand, has been texting with a couple of different girls recently, and I don't think that Rachel is any the wiser." Mercedes smiled like a Cheshire cat, and Kurt continued, "Heck, I don't think he realizes that _I_ know about it. Duplicity and deceit, Mercedes, don't you just _love_ it? I believe we are witnessing the beginning of the end of 'Finchel'." Satisfied with the gossip they had shared, Kurt returned to the dining room, and Mercedes entered the kitchen to offer her assistance.

"Rachel, I'm so glad you included me today," Mercedes genuinely acknowledged. "Is there anything that I can do to help?" "Mercedes, you're very welcome," Rachel replied. "Please sit down and enjoy being a guest, we have this pretty much under control," Rachel said as she gestured around the kitchen where her fathers and both grandmothers were bustling about. "Honestly, Rachel, I insist," Mercedes countered. "Maybe we can let yours and Puck's grandmas sit down, instead." Rachel chuckled and responded, "I sincerely doubt that will happen, but as you insist, I gratefully accept." Rachel handed Mercedes a platter with egg salad on it, surrounded by small matzoh crackers and indicated that she place it on the table. Rachel carried in a similar platter with what appeared to be white meatballs with toothpicks inserted, around a bowl of dark fuchsia colored sauce. Her Bubbe brought in a plate like the one Mercedes had carried, but with chopped liver pate' instead of eggs.

"OK, everybody," Nana Connie said, "please start eating!" Kurt looked at the platter that Rachel had placed on the table and spoke up, "Rachel, I know that is egg salad and I believe that," he pointed at the chopped liver, "is chopped liver, but, please, would you mind explaining what this is?" as he gestured toward the third plate. "Sure, Kurt, that is gefelte fish; it's basically chopped whitefish. You eat it with the horseradish; but be careful," she teased, "because that will definitely clear your sinuses." "Thanks, Rachel," Kurt replied, as he helped himself to some of the chopped eggs.

Rachel returned to the kitchen to prepare to serve the soup course, as none of the appetizers were on her restricted diet. Although she had agreed with her Daddy to consume some eggs, she refused to eat egg salad; it was just _too eggy_. There was chicken soup with matzoh balls for everybody, and a chicken-less broth with lots of vegetables for her. Rebecca and Mercedes began bringing back the appetizer plates, and her Bubbe came to dish up the soup. Rachel quickly rinsed off the plates and loaded them into the dishwasher. By the time she was through, most of the soup had been served, and she filled her own bowl, entered the dining room, and sat down at the table.

Rachel was pleased with how the evening had turned out so far. There were animated conversations in the air, blending with the sound of spoons grazing the bowls of delicious broth. At that moment, Nana Connie spoke up, "Tell me, children, what are your plans for college next year?"

Kurt spoke up first: "Well, my first love is performing, and I've always had a flair for design. I decided to apply to NYU for both music and costume design, so if I can't be on the stage, I'll definitely be behind it. My audition is coming up soon, and I've already sent a portfolio. I applied to NYADA as a back-up school, just to be safe." Burt felt proud of his son's goals; Kurt was becoming his own person, and he was confident that Kurt would find success in whichever direction his career took him.

Rachel answered next: "Well, as everybody knows, I'm planning on going to college in New York in the fall." There was some good-natured chuckling at her admission, which was probably the most well-known aspiration at McKinley High School. Rachel continued, "Initially, Ms. Pillsbury convinced me that NYADA was my best option. Fortunately, I decided to do some research on the school. They have a few notable graduates, of course, but a number of their faculty are Broadway 'wanna-bes' and 'almost-weres', which is disconcerting, to say the least." Rachel sighed. She admitted, "If I can't learn from the best, what's the point? I'd originally wanted to go to Juilliard, but you have to specialize in either music or drama; you can't focus on both. Like Kurt, I've applied to Tisch, but to double-major in music and drama." She paused, and then continued, "I also applied to NYADA a back-up, but I expect that NYU will come through. I received promising feedback for the DVD I sent, and my live audition is coming up shortly, as well."

Blaine continued, "Well, I'm a junior, so I still have another year of high school left. My game plan is also to attend Tisch at NYU and major in theater. Hopefully I'll be able to visit Kurt and Rachel at some point and take a tour of the campus, maybe talk to an advisor before I apply." Sam then chimed in, "I'm a junior, too, and I'm probably the only one here who doesn't plan on a career that involves music or performing. I have dyslexia, and my friend Artie Abrams has helped me learn how to learn in school. I want to pay that forward, and I plan on becoming a teacher, specializing in learning disabilities. I haven't started looking into schools, yet, though." "That's very admirable, Samuel, dear," Rachel's Bubbe complimented. Sam smiled his thanks and returned to eating his soup.

"Mercedes, how about you?" Rachel asked. "You remember that video Sam posted of me on YouTube?" Mercedes inquired, and Rachel nodded. "Well, a record producer in California saw it and offered me an opportunity to sing back up for some new artists. I decided to move to LA and I applied to UCLA to double-major in music and business, while I'm picking up any singing gigs that come my way." "That's very exciting, Mercedes; congratulations!" Rachel offered. "Thanks, Rachel," Mercedes happily replied.

Carol happily interjected "Finn, why don't you tell everybody what you'll be doing in the fall?" Finn had hoped not to admit this publicly, as he believed that Rachel thought he was applying to colleges in New York. "Well, Mom, since you brought it up, I just got my acceptance letter to OSU the other day. I'm not sure what I'll be majoring in, yet, but I'll be in Columbus in September. I already put in for my season tickets." He glanced guiltily at Rachel, who only smiled at him in return. "I'm truly happy for you, Finn," she said.

Nana Connie looked like she was going to burst with pride, and she excitedly spoke up, "Noah, bubbeleh, tell everybody what your plans are." For somebody who had been looking forward to sharing his news at this particular time, suddenly, his mouth went dry. He took a drink of water and began, "Well, you all know that Rachel and Artie have been literally kickin' my ass…I mean, behind, gettin' me to study, since I got out 'a juvie last year. I did my community service at our Temple and really got involved with the place. Cantor Mike had my back and he and Mr. Schue and Coach Bieste wrote some letters for me and…well…I'll be attending NYU in the fall on a full scholarship." Rachel was flabbergasted, and she was openly staring at Puck, who mirrored back her expression, then smiled and looked deeply into her eyes. "I'll be majoring in Hebrew and Judaic studies and minoring in music, maybe psych too, I'm not sure. The plan is to go to a Cantorial College for my MA so I can become a Cantor like my grandfather."

There was dead silence in the room for about two seconds, and then everybody started talking at once, congratulating Puck. Except for Finn, initially, whose mind was racing; _Holy shit_, Puck with a _Masters_ degree? Wouldn't he be, like, a Jewish minister or something? No, that's a rabbi…isn't it? Wait…Puck in New York and me here? At the same school as Rachel? That damn fucker wins again. I may as well kiss Rachel good bye now and start writin' a fuckin' toast for their wedding. Debbie will get her cute Jewish grand-babies…and…I…will get to screw drunken coeds in Columbus…maybe I'll _finally_ get a blow job…say, maybe not so bad after all. "Hey, man, congrats!" Finn said, grinning at the thought of yet unknown, sexually uninhibited college girls.

Hiram and LeRoy began gathering the empty soup bowls. "Ma, sit. You, too, Connie," Hiram instructed the two women. "We've got this." They entered the kitchen, followed by Rachel and the girls, to begin serving the next course.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: For me, NYADA was a huge "shark jump" (unfortunately, not the first) for "Glee". In the first place, it is highly unlikely that a prestigious arts school would hire somebody with "Cassandra July's" reputation, i.e. a known alcoholic with apparently no impulse control and a failed, short-lived Broadway career. Secondly, a supposed educator with her attitude, which borders on ethnic intimidation, would never be tolerated. Furthermore, a smart girl like Rachel would have done her research and discovered the caliber of instructors, which would not support her ultimate goals. I understand that Juilliard would not allow their name to be used, so a school had to be fabricated. However, there were far better ways, at least, in my opinion, to show Rachel as a "fish out of water", so to speak, than to have her be bullied by a passive/aggressive dance instructor and then win a showcase in her first attempt by singing a Christmas carol. I could go on, but, after all, it's only TV, folks. I'll step off this soap box before I fall and break my ankle. Peace Out. ;-)

Oh…and BTW, the only University of Lima (where Finn is apparently headed on the show) is in Peru. Lima, Ohio does have a satellite branch of OSU.

Back to the story…more Passover dinner to follow…


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mercedes carried out a large bowl of mixed green salad and Rebecca put several different dressing bottles on the table, while Rachel and her fathers stayed behind in the kitchen to begin plating the main course. Rachel had previously set aside a larger portion of salad for herself, which she had supplemented with some chopped nuts, extra vegetables, and cut up fruit. She planned to carry it out last, after all of the food had been brought to the table, in order to draw less attention to her choice of entrée.

Rachel's fathers had temporarily left her alone in the kitchen to tend to their guests. Puck excused himself from the table and went toward the bathroom, but instead, entered the kitchen to offer his assistance to Rachel. Rachel had just filled a serving bowl with sweet potatoes and was in the process of slicing into and plating a matzo farfel kugel. She didn't notice Puck, giving him the opportunity to move close to her. "Say, Rach, need any help?" he inquired quietly. She turned to face him. "Oh, Noah, I'm so proud of you! Why didn't you tell me?" Rachel was beaming, but keeping her voice down, too, as she didn't want their conversation overheard.

"Well, Rach, I wanted to surprise ya', and thought this was the perfect time," he admitted. "So, are ya' surprised?" "Yes, Noah; but, then, I always knew you had it in you," Rachel admitted. "Just think; a Cantor! Your Nana must be beyond excited." "Yeah, she's all over it, that's for sure," he confirmed. "Come September, Baby; you, me, and Beyonce' takin' on the Big Apple. Think ya' can handle it?" he teased. Rachel smiled up at Puck and their eyes met. "Bring it," she tenderly replied.

Puck could barely contain himself, and only his promise to "be good" stopped him from literally sweeping Rachel off her feet and kissing her senseless. He swiftly changed the topic, "So, Rach, farfel kugel, huh? Looks good." "Thank you, Noah," she replied. "I hope it tastes good, too. Bubbe entrusted me with making it this year." Puck's face brightened, and he said "You made this? Well, I'm gonna have to taste some right now." He reached down to snatch a piece off the platter, and Rachel teasingly slapped his hand. "Noah, behave. I just sliced that for the table." Puck ignored her admonishment, picked up a piece, and took a bite. "Mmm…so good, Rach," he moaned softly, as he finished his mouthful. "You have got to taste this. Open up…" He playfully offered her what was left of the piece he had consumed and popped it in her awaiting mouth, gently touching her lower lip with his thumb. She chewed, swallowed, grinned, and said, "I have to concur, Noah; that is really good.

"Rach, if you can cook like that, I'll have to hit the gym every night," Puck playfully cautioned. "Who ever said that I would be cooking for you, Noah Puckerman?" she inquired flirtatiously. Rachel could feel their banter segueing yet again toward a more intimate direction, and was relieved to see Mercedes coming through the doorway with a mostly empty salad bowl. The girl had a knowing expression on her face as she watched the pair while carefully placing the bowl on the counter. Rachel backed away from Puck and attempted some quick damage control. "Mercedes, you must have some of this with your dinner," she advised. "What's that?" Mercedes inquired. "Sweet farfel kugel," Rachel answered.

"Beg pardon?" Mercedes interjected. "Well," Rachel explained, "farfel is basically matzoh that has been broken into small pieces. You moisten it and mix it in with apple sauce, raisins, cinnamon, a dash of salt, a little wine, some 'secret ingredients' that I am honor bound by my Bubbe not to reveal," she winked at Mercedes and continued, "and eggs. You bake it, and you have a kugel. It's probably closest to a dressing that would be served at Thanksgiving, but different." Mercedes looked at her quizzically. "'Cedes, trust me, just eat this, it is totally worth it," Puck advised. "OK, you two have me convinced," she concurred. "This evening is all about trying new things, and that's sure new to me. Is there something that I can carry in?"

Rachel, relieved that her latest tête-à-tête with Puck had been curtailed, suggested that Mercedes retrieve the salad plates, first. Her fathers entered the kitchen, one after the other, and began directing the activity. "Noah, would you please carry in the chicken?" LeRoy requested. "I'll take the brisket, and then we can get these side dishes out." Hiram grabbed a bowl of steamed broccoli as well as the sweet potatoes that Rachel had readied. Mercedes returned with the salad plates and, as Rachel began filling the dishwasher, she left with the platter of the sweet kugel in her hands. Before Hiram returned to their company, he instructed, "Rachel, as soon as you're through with the plates, please slice up some kishka." As Mercedes walked into the dining room, Rachel heard Puck exclaim "You guys, that is so good, you have to have some!"

Rachel did as her father requested and sliced and plated two kishkas. She added a serving fork, and with the platter in one hand and her salad in the other, finally joined everybody in the dining room. She maneuvered toward the table, put her salad at her place setting, and handed the platter of kishka to Finn, who looked curiously at it. "Rach, um, what exactly is this?" he inquired. "Oh, sorry, Finn. That's kishka. It's sort of like stuffing, made with matzoh meal and seasonings. It's actually quite good," she answered. "Did you make this, too, Rach?" he asked. "No, Finn, that came from the market," she replied.

"Back when I was a girl," Nana Connie interjected, "my Bubbe made kishka from scratch. She would clean out the intestines and then fill them, like you would make sausages." "Intestines?" gasped Kurt. "Yes, dear," she answered, "but they don't use that any more; now it's stuffed into a meatless casing. No more intestines," she concluded. Both Kurt and Finn were taken aback and decided to pass on this unfamiliar delicacy.

The food was excellent and plentiful and the company remarkably well-balanced. There were compliments all around for the wonderful fare, and it was clear that the guests were enjoying themselves. As with most holiday dinners, the hours of planning, shopping, preparing, and serving culminated in less than a half-hour (or so) of actual consuming, save, of course, for dessert.

Finn, although polite and sociable, had remained relatively quiet throughout the meal. He now saw Rachel in a different light; not unflattering, by any means, merely different. His eyes were simply opened to facets of her personality and lifestyle that she never revealed in school. Since receiving his acceptance letter, he grudgingly conceded that life does go on, regardless of any desire to the contrary.

He was beginning to realize that a life un-coupled from Rachel, regardless of whom she moved on with, might be better for him than remaining tethered to her out of an ego-driven rivalry. After all, if he deserved to be happy, didn't they? Her affection for Puck was obvious, at least, to him, and it appeared to be mutual. Let them have New York; he would have OSU and Buckeye football. And, for the first time since he started dating, bouncing between Quinn and Rachel like a shuttlecock in a badminton game, he would be bound to no one and could embrace the future unencumbered until, some day, the real "right one" came along.

LeRoy Berry noticed that everybody appeared sated with the evening's meal, and announced "Well, folks, it looks like it's time for the 'seventh inning stretch'. We'll start clearing the table to make room for dessert." That being said, people stood up to move about, and the kitchen gradually filled with emptied platters and dirty dishes. Many hands lightened the work of wrapping leftovers and cleaning dishes, the coffee maker was started and the kettle set to boil for tea, and dessert plating would soon begin.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hope you enjoyed supper. Next chapter, a break in the action, then on to dessert and entertainment, courtesy of our Glee Club members.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Mercedes observed that there were more than enough helpers in the kitchen and decided to excuse herself from the activity. She sought out Kurt, and they stepped out into the unusually warm March evening for a breath of fresh air…and a side of gossip. "Kurt, I swear, I walked into the kitchen before dinner and those two were at it again," Mercedes began. "You mean Puck and Rachel, I trust," he replied. "Yes," she averred. "I wanted to walk up and say 'moth, meet flame; flame, say hello to moth'. It's almost like it's outside of their control." Kurt sighed and said, "The epic ones are like that. At our age, it's usually 'puppy love', but somehow, this seems to be more. They bring out the best in each other," he commented, "while she and Finn constantly struggle to maintain façades that each believes the other one expects."

Mercedes nodded her head in agreement, and changed the subject (slightly), "Can you believe that Puck got a full scholarship to NYU? Seems like yesterday when he spent most of his time either sleeping in the nurse's office or chasing down Cheerios for a 'quickie' in the janitors' closet." "You really have to give Rachel credit," Kurt admitted. "She believed in his potential where the rest of us, including Puck, only saw 'Lima Looser'. Artie's commented more than once on Puck's intelligence. Who knew?" he postulated.

Flipping topics yet again, Mercedes asked "How do you think it will be with the three of you in New York this fall, Kurt?" "Honestly, Mercedes, that's something I have not had time to contemplate," Kurt admitted. "Rachel and I have discussed renting a place together, but if…well… I suppose I should say when… it seems inevitable…they get together, the building will probably go up in flames." Mercedes laughed, and Kurt joined in. "All kidding aside, though, I guess we'll have to figure it out when the time comes," he concluded.

Kurt then considered, "Who would have imagined Puck joining the clergy?" Mercedes agreed, "Is that out of left field or _what_? The resident badass of McKinley as a religious leader." Kurt sighed and responded, "The ladies in that congregation will be beating a path to his door, that's for sure." "Oh, I don't know about that," Mercedes interjected. "Our Miss Rachel will probably have a Tony on the shelf and a 'bun in the oven' by then, so he will be all neatly tied up with a big pink bow and will only have eyes for her." Mercedes chuckled, and Kurt replied, "Well, unfortunately, there are no guarantees about Tony awards, but I'll start the betting pool for baby number one. Care to pick a date?" Both teens laughed heartily, quickly regained their composure, and reentered the house.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I love the Greek Chorus that is (are?) Kurt and Mercedes. Although this is extremely short, it kind of stands on its own, don't you think?


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Mercedes and Kurt came inside to find a relatively orderly kitchen and a dining room table laden with various sliced cakes and a beautifully arranged platter of fresh fruit. The aroma of fresh coffee greeted them, and the kettle whistled, announcing that water was ready for tea.

Rebecca sat alone in the family room, watching her brother interact with his friends. The expression on her face reflected sadness at her brother's moving away as well as longing to grow up and leave childish things behind. Puck noticed, excused himself, and sat down next to her, teasingly tweaking a lock of her hair. "What's up, Becs; why so sad?" he asked. "You're going away and Rachel's going away and I'll _never see you again_," she whined. Puck chuckled and reminded her "I'll be here for breaks and holidays. You'll be so busy with stuff, anyway, you won't have time to miss me." "Besides," he continued, "somebody has to stay and keep Ma company. Just think how much cleaner it'll be with me out 'a the house." Rebecca giggled and was about to reply when LeRoy approached them.

"Becca," he said, "we're about ready for dessert. Did you find the Afikomen?" Rebecca replied, "Yes, I did, Uncle LeRoy." "I think a dollar is a fair price, don't you?" he asked her in mock-seriousness. Rebecca giggled again; she realized that would be her only and best offer and played along. "Thanks, Uncle LeRoy," she replied, and handed him the napkin containing the half matzoh. He removed his wallet from his back pocket and extracted a dollar bill, which he gave to her. LeRoy went into the kitchen, washed (and dried) his hands at the sink, and broke the matzoh into bite sized pieces onto a plate. The Berrys were more traditional than religious when it came to this particular custom; although they put the broken matzoh out with dessert, they didn't insist that their company partake of it.

Hiram announced "Everybody, please help yourself to some dessert and join us in the living room for a musical interlude, courtesy of our talented children and their equally talented friends. No evening in the Berry household is complete without a little entertainment, after all. Noah and Samuel, you have your guitars, right?" he asked the boys. They both answered affirmatively. Hiram continued, "That's great, thank you for bringing them." He looked around the room and asked "Do we have any requests?"

"Rachel dear," her Bubbe asked, "would you mind performing a song from 'West Side Story'? We love the DVD your Daddy sent, but it would be wonderful to hear something in person." "Sure, Bubbe, I'd be happy to," Rachel replied, then stretched out her hand to Blaine, who was sitting nearby and pseudo-flirtatiously asked "'Tony', will you join me?" "Of course, 'Maria'; for you, always," Blaine teasingly replied, as he took her hand and they headed to the piano. Rachel selected the sheet music for "West Side Story" from her extensive collection, opened the book, and placed it on the piano stand. She announced, "Blaine and I will be singing 'One Hand, One Heart', by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, from 'West Side Story'. Blaine was already seated on the piano bench and Rachel joined him. He ran through an arpeggio, leading into the first notes of the piece.

Rachel, ever the actress, was caught up in the moment and solely focused on Blaine. Puck, unable to look elsewhere, watched her intently, but she never broke character. They ended the piece to a round of appreciative applause as Rachel and Blaine kissed each other lightly. Kurt, chuckling, exclaimed "Diva, keep your hands _off_ my man!" Rachel laughed, and only then noticed Puck's soulful gaze, to which she smiled demurely as they finally connected. She looked away quickly and her eyes fell on Sam. "Samuel," she stated, "why don't you and Mercedes sing something next?"

"OK, Rach," Sam obliged. "C'mon, 'Cedes; are you up for a little Elton John?" he proposed. "Sounds like fun, Sam," Mercedes agreed. "What do you suggest?" "What about 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'?" Sam asked. "That'll work," she concurred with a grin. They walked over to the piano, and Sam rifled through the sheet music until he found the right one. They launched into a lively rendition, with Sam playing and singing Elton John's verses and Mercedes adding a soulful twist to the Kiki Dee part. Rebecca, ever fixated on Sam, turned bright red when he caught her eye and winked at her. They finished their duet to more applause and Sam said, "Say, Puck, why don't you go next?"

"Sure, Man," Puck accepted. "Any requests?" His Nana responded "Actually, dear, would you sing that Perry Como song that I like so much?" Puck thought for a few seconds and asked, "You mean, 'And I Love You So', the one that Don McLean wrote back in the 70's, Nana?" "Yes, that's the one," she replied. "I love hearing you sing that; it's one of my favorites." "OK, Nana," he said, and thought for a moment about a possible arrangement. "Finn, Kurt; are you guys familiar with the song?" he asked. "I have this idea for a three-part harmony that I'd like to try."

Although Finn didn't know the song, Kurt did, and they agreed to sing together. Puck found the music in Rachel's music library, and opened the sheet for Finn and Kurt to read. "Here's what I'd like to do," he began. "I'll sing the first verse, then Finn, you do the second. We'll sing in two-part harmony for the chorus," he described, while pointing to the lyrics. "OK, Kurt, you come in and sing the third verse alone, and we'll finish up together as a trio." As Puck tuned his guitar, Kurt reviewed the lyrics and responded, "I think that'll work out well, actually. I do think that there would be more of an impact if we close it out the same way, though, and you sing the last verse alone." "Sounds cool, Kurt," Puck concurred. "Whatta ya' think, Finn?" "Yeah, sounds OK to me," he agreed. Puck played an introduction on his guitar, and they presented the song as they had discussed.

Another round of applause rewarded their heartfelt performance. Puck had not dared look out at the audience for fear of making further eye contact with Rachel and inadvertently revealing his feelings to the group. Blaine was the first to speak, "Guys, that was awesome! You should totally show that to Mr. Schue." "You're right," Rachel agreed, "that would be perfect for Regionals." She paused and looked happily at Puck, continuing, "Noah, that was just beautiful. All of you did a wonderful job. Blaine is right, that arrangement is a definite contender."

Puck was both flattered and humbled by their compliments. "Hey, 'Cedes, you up for another number?" Puck playfully challenged Mercedes. "Of course," she responded cheerfully, "but only if Rachel sings with me." "I would be honored, Mercedes," Rachel accepted, "and I have something in mind that would suit both our voices nicely. Blaine, would you mind accompanying us?" she asked. "Happy to, Rach," Blaine said, and the three teens walked over to the piano. Rachel determinedly looked through her music sheets until she found the book for "A Chorus Line".

She opened it to the music for "What I Did For Love" and explained to the other two, "Marvin Hamlisch intended this as a solo, but I think we can make it our own as a duet." She walked through the music with Mercedes, "See, if I take the first verse and you do the second, then we can harmonize through the rest of it. You can take the melody, or we can play with it, kind of improvise," she explained. "We'll break up again at the end," she looked at Mercedes, "and you bring it home. I think we can really rock this." Mercedes was surprised at Rachel's generosity with the spotlight, but decided not to offer any comments aside from "Sounds good; what do you think, Blaine?" Blaine concurred, and then began to play the introduction.

Although their performance was impromptu, the result sounded well-rehearsed, and was appreciated by their audience. "You know," Kurt offered, "that might 'mash up' really well with the other song. The whole group could come in on the second 'kiss today goodbye…'" "Kurt, that's brilliant!" Rachel beamed. "I'm looking forward to the week off, but now I'm excited about presenting this when we get back to school." Changing the subject, Rachel announced, "I think we may have time for one more…how about all of the guys?"

After a brief consultation, the boys decided to sing an A Capella version of Billy Joel's "For the Longest Time". It gave each teen a chance to shine individually as well as harmonize together. This performance was also well-received, but before another suggestion could be made, Burt happened to glance at his watch. "I hate break this up, but we have an early flight to DC in the morning."

It had been a wonderful evening for all who attended, and suddenly there was a flurry of handshakes, hugs, and kisses. Grateful thanks and compliments were extended for the evenings festivities, from the religious service, excellent meal, and dynamic entertainment.

Rachel and Finn left together toward Burt's car to say their private goodbyes. As Puck watched them walk out the door, he noticed that they were not holding hands, and a small smile washed across his face.

"Thank you for coming tonight, Finn, and thanks again for the flowers," Rachel said softly, looking up at Finn. "You're welcome, Rach," he replied. "Thank you, and your dads, too. I had a great time." "Congratulations, again, Finn. I'm really proud of you," Rachel said. "Ya sure, Rach?" Finn queried. "No hard feelin's 'bout New York?" "Absolutely not, Finn," she confirmed. "Everybody has to follow their dreams."

"Listen, Rachel," Finn paused, and then continued, "I'll be, um, kinda busy, and all, bein' on vacation, so, um, I'll talk to you when I get back." "OK, Finn," she responded, "I hope you have a wonderful trip. Talk to you later." She made no move to kiss him, nor did he to her, and she smiled gently at him and then turned to reenter the house.

As Rachel stood by the opened door, watching their guests drive away, Puck walked over and moved beside her. "He'll be gone for a week?" he asked. "Yes," she replied. "Think you'll miss him?" he inquired. Rachel thought a moment and stated thoughtfully, "Actually, Noah, I don't think so. I don't think I will at all."

* * *

**Author's Notes**: And…fade to black…cut to commercial ;-)

Hope you enjoyed the evening's festivities. Also, I hope you're not too disappointed that there was no duet with Rachel and Puck. I almost went there, but it seemed like overkill.

Again, all of the lyrics are available online, so no need to include them here.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Eventually, everybody had gone home; the kitchen was on its way back to being organized, and only the quiet hum of the dishwasher permeated the relative silence of the household that only a short time ago was lively with laughter and song. Rachel, long since changed into her bathrobe, was relaxing in her bedroom with a cup of tea, legs propped up on her bed, reflecting on the evening that had transpired.

Initially, her rationale to include her friends was Finn-centric, as most of her high school life had been. Finn, who lived in a happy, homogeneous mindset where the things he didn't understand he simply chose to ignore. Feed her meat? Why not, "everybody" eats meat after all. Although she had no regrets about the time she shared with Finn, she had grown tired of "playing the game" and maintaining a façade that would make her an acceptable girlfriend. She wanted him to see her for who she was, as well as share something that she considered special, spiritual, and beautiful. And now…he would be gone for a week, and she realized that she wouldn't miss him in the slightest.

Her heart soared at the thought of Puck in New York. He had turned his life completely around and was well on the way to becoming the man she always knew that he would be, the antithesis of 'Lima Loser" that he had branded himself not long ago. Their conversations flowed naturally and held no pretense, and she trusted him implicitly. When they were together, she felt accepted rather than tolerated and desired rather than attained. Her most intimate encounters with Finn were clumsy, mechanical, brief, and had amounted to "having sex". A small smile crossed her face and she blushed delicately, thinking of Puck; whenever she took that "next" step with him, she mused, she would be "making love" for the first time.

The salacious direction in which Rachel's mind was headed was abruptly ended by her cell phone ring tone "Defying Gravity". "Hi, Kurt. What's up?" she asked cheerfully as she answered the call. "Hey, Diva!" Kurt replied. "Thanks again for this evening. I really enjoyed myself, despite the little hat-thingies." Rachel chuckled, and explained "I believe you mean yarmulkes, Kurt." "Yes, Rachel," he teasingly agreed, "Guess I'm not cut out to be Jewish; one does _not_ mess with the 'do'." He paused, and then slyly inquired "Tell me, Diva, what _ever_ is going on with tall, dark, and brooding?" "Rachel smiled contentedly and responded "I trust you mean Noah, Kurt." "Of course, who _else_ would I mean?" he replied. "Spill, Missy; something is up between you two, and I want _details_."

Rachel knew that Kurt, who was always searching for potential gossip, would have been quick to jump to conclusions. "Kurt, I have no idea what you're talking about," she innocently replied. "Noah and I are friends; nothing more." "Rachel, denial is more than a river in Egypt," he responded ironically. "You have to admit, it's quite a coincidence that he will be heading for New York in the fall."

"Kurt, I honestly didn't know about that," Rachel admitted. "I'm extremely proud of him, of course, but I was as surprised as everybody else." Elated, too, but she didn't share that with Kurt. "Finn has been strangely silent about the whole thing," Kurt confided. "Are you _sure_ there isn't anything you'd like to share?" he suggested. "After all, they say that 'confession is good for the soul'".

"Look, Kurt, regardless of what you may think, there is nothing to confess; no cheating, no scandal, nothing," Rachel avowed. "OK, so you haven't cheated," Kurt acknowledged, slightly disappointed. "Are you going to break up with Finn, then?" he inquired. "Kurt," she calmly replied, "Finn always knew that 'we' had an expiration date. The way things have been between us, lately, it's probably just time for us to move on. If he doesn't initiate the break up once school starts, then I will." Kurt was surprised by her attitude, as there were no histrionics, merely a statement of the facts as she saw them.

"And," Kurt said, "by 'move on', do you mean with Mr. Puckerman?" he queried. "Honestly, Rachel, I swear, I won't say anything, not even to Blaine," he breathlessly pleaded. "All right, Kurt," she admitted, "I do have feelings for Noah." "Diva, from what I can tell, those feelings are quite mutual," Kurt quietly disclosed. "I hope you're both very happy," he sincerely stated, then quickly countered "…and I call 'dibs' on Godfather for your firstborn." Rachel laughed and remarked, "Kurt I think you are seriously 'jumping the gun' on that one. After all, we're only in high school. We haven't even gone out on a date." Even in her pragmatic denial, Rachel smiled dreamily to herself, contemplating the future…with Puck.

Kurt, satisfied that he had mined his intended gold nugget of gossip, ended the call. "Rachel, I'm sure everything will turn out fine. I really must go and pack now. Thanks again. I'll text you if I can." "You're welcome, Kurt. Thanks again for coming. Enjoy your vacation," Rachel replied, and both teens disconnected from the call.

A few blocks away, Puck sat in his family room halfheartedly playing video games, also ruminating over the evening's events. Letting the "cat out of the bag" about his college plans was satisfying on so many levels, proving once and for all to himself, his family, and his friends that his "Lima Loser" persona was no more. And Rachel…beautiful, one-of-a-kind Rachel, with legs that went on forever and a voice that sent chills down his spine. She had been his staunchest supporter and became his truest friend. He was finally getting a second chance with her, and he was determined not to screw it up.

Initially, high school had strictly been a "numbers game". Puck's primary goal (it's good to have goals, right?) was getting as far as he could with as many girls (and women) as possible. Although he respected that "no means no", he was quite persuasive in turning "nos" into "yeses". Quinn had only been one more "booty call", made more impressive because: a) she was a self-proclaimed virgin, and therefore, a challenge, b) she was Finn's girlfriend, another challenge, and c) he never thought she'd give him the time of day. Any real feelings he may have had for Rachel were superseded by a desire to add her (Rachel) to his long list of "conquests" and, ultimately, by the monkey wrench that wine coolers and "super sperm" threw into his recreational pursuits, followed by his well-documented downward spiral.

Even in her most fervent pursuit of Finn, Rachel never wavered in her loyalty, and she stood by Puck when most of his so-called friends had long turned away. They were now firmly entrenched in each others' corners, and soon she would be free to give in to the feelings he saw in her eyes and felt in her physical response whenever he was near. His Nana often said "anything worth having is worth waiting for"; given his personal history, it was apparent that he had seldom heeded her advice…until now. He realized that Rachel, in all her Barbra-worshiping, Broadway-quoting glory, was absolutely worth the wait. And, if all indications were correct, he wouldn't have to wait for long.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The second Seder was celebrated with significantly less fanfare and fewer participants, as the Berry and Puckerman families each opted for more intimate affairs in their own homes. Rachel's Bubbe had been sure to wrap up some kugel for Puck, pleased in both her granddaughter's accomplishment as well as the effect it appeared to have on her (she hoped) one-day grandson-in-law.

Monday morning, the Berry house phone rang. "Rachel, it's for you," her Bubbe called out. Rachel picked up the phone and heard a click, presumably from her grandmother hanging up. "Hello?" "Hi, Rachel! It's me, Becca. I need your help," responded a desperate-sounding Rebecca Puckerman. "What can I do for you, Becca?" Rachel inquired.

"Well," Rebecca began, "my cousin Michael's Bar Mitzvah is coming up and Mom says I need a new dress and I _know_ she'll pick out some _baby_ dress and I'm almost 12 and I would _really _appreciate it if you would come shopping with me and help me pick out a dress." Rachel felt out of breath, herself after that long-winded plea, and she answered "Of course, Becca, I'll be happy to help you. When would you like me to pick you up?" "Oh, don't worry about that," Rebecca cheerfully said. Rachel heard a sound she assumed to be the phone being placed on some hard surface, and then, Rebecca's slightly more-distant voice, "No-ey. Rachel said she'll come with us. When do you want to pick her up?"

Rachel smiled; an afternoon playing "big sister" with the added bonus of one Noah Puckerman's company sounded like a pleasant way to pass this first official day of vacation. "Hey, Rach!" Now Puck, rather than Rebecca, was on the phone. "Hello, Noah," Rachel replied. "Thanks for helpin'. Becs is just about drivin' me nuts," he confided. "No problem at all, Noah. I'm happy to oblige. When would you like me to be ready? she inquired. "Will one be ok?" he asked. "Sounds perfect!" she confirmed. "See you at one."

One o'clock rolled around in the Berry home with Rachel absent-mindedly flipping through a magazine, a smile plastered on her face, and butterflies in her tummy. The ringing doorbell caused her to feel as though her heart had skipped a beat. She gathered herself together before answering the door.

"Hi, Noah, Becca," she greeted them. "Please come in; I won't be a minute." Rachel extracted her coat from the closet, but before she could dress herself, Puck removed it from her hands and helped her on with said coat. His hands may have stayed on her shoulders a second (or two) longer than necessary, but Rachel was too contented to notice. After touching base with Rachel's grandparents, the three left for their shopping excursion.

After parking the truck, Rachel, Puck, and Rebecca entered the mall. Rachel knew that most of the shops that Rebecca would gravitate toward carried clothes more suitable to someone her own age, or even older. She wisely directed them toward Macy's, Rebecca taking the lead. As they approached the store, Puck and Rachel accidentally (OK, believe that one) brushed up against each other, and Puck took Rachel's hand. Puck had never been one for hand-holding, considering it something for pussies, but, somehow, this felt natural and right, and very un-pussy-like.

As they made their way over to the junior dresses, they caught the eye of one Santana Lopez, who was shopping for prom dresses with Brittany Pierce. "Britts, do you see that?" Santana inquired, nodding her head in the other couple's direction. "That looks like Fuckerman and Man-hands. Boy, is that scraping the bottom of the barrel or _what_?" "San, be kind," Brittany reminded her. "Rachie is a nice girl, and she has cute hands." "No way, girl," Santana countered, "this is too good to pass up."

Santana, with Brittany in tow, snuck up on Puck and Rachel, still hand-in-hand, who were watching Rebecca as she looked through dresses, Rachel gently coaching her choices. "Well, what's wrong with _this_ picture?" Santana snarkily exclaimed, announcing their presence. "Hello, Santana; Brittany," Rachel greeted them. "What is this, 'while the cat's away the mice will play', Hobbit? Where's Mr. Staypuft?" Santana acerbically inquired.

Rachel, perhaps buoyed by Puck's presence, had finally reached her limit: "Excuse me, Santana, but my name is Rachel, _not_ Hobbit, _not_ RuPaul or any of those other ludicrous things you call me," Rachel said emphatically. Puck watched with great interest; this was a side of Rachel he had never seen and he found it hot…very hot. "I have no idea _what_ I ever did to deserve the ongoing ridicule at your hands, but it has to stop now. If you can't call me by my given name, please don't speak to me at all." Rachel paused to breathe, never breaking eye contact with Santana…or dropping Puck's hand. "There are only a couple of months left of school, and you will never have to see me again if you so choose. Until then, I expect you to treat me with the respect that I deserve, and if you can't do that, then leave me the Hell alone!"

Santana was astounded, and Brittany was grinning from ear to ear. "Wow, sorry you feel that way…er…Rachel," Santana replied. "It just seems kinda' odd that you're with Fuckerman over here," and she nodded in Puck's direction, "while Finnessa is apparently somewhere else. Somethin' we should know?" she slyly inquired, left eyebrow raised. Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed. "His last name is Puckerman, Santana, not Fuckerman. And, not that I owe you an explanation, because I _don't_, but Finn is on vacation with his family. Noah and I are assisting Rebecca select a new dress." Rachel completed her explanation, as it was, and continued to hold her ground. "Well," Puck interjected, "Rach is helpin' Becs pick out a dress. I'm just the chauffer on this li'l expedition."

"Sannie and I are looking for prom dresses, Rachie," Brittany explained. "Are you going to prom?" she asked. Rachel briefly glanced sideways at Puck and responded "Honestly, Brittany, I have no idea. I hadn't thought about it until you brought it up." "Won't you be going with Finn?" Brittany countered. Rachel carefully responded "Well, he hasn't asked me, yet, Brittany." "Oh, I'm sure he will, Rachie," Brittany reassured. "C'mon, Britts, let's get back to shopping," Santana suggested to Brittany. Santana addressed Puck and Rachel, "See ya' later, gleeks," and the two girlfriends turned and walked back to the dress rack they were exploring prior to the encounter.

Rebecca was focused on shopping and currently paying no attention to her brother. Puck looked at Rachel expectantly and quietly asked, "Do you think he'll ask ya', Rach?" "Noah, I don't know," she replied in the same tone of voice, "but if he does, I plan on turning him down." Puck was surprised, but said nothing. Rachel calmly continued, "I would rather miss Senior Prom than attend it with Finn Hudson. He's a nice boy; he's simply not the boy for me. I hope we can be friends, and I'll always be happy to sing with him, but I don't need to be his girlfriend to do that."

"Rachel, would ya' consider goin' to Prom with me?" Puck asked hopefully. Rachel beamed at him. "Are you sure, Noah?" she asked. "I know you don't like dances; we could do something else, instead," she offered. "Are ya' embarrassed to be seen with me, Rach?" he questioned. "Certainly, not, Noah! On the contrary, I am immensely proud of you and would consider it an honor to be on your arm," Rachel avowed. Puck smiled broadly. "Well, then, I guess it's a date," he happily concurred. "Yes, it most certainly is," she blissfully agreed.

Under Rachel's tutelage, Rebecca was able to pick out a dress: navy blue, with cap sleeves and an empire waist. It was simple, sans ruffles, not pastel, and flattered Rebecca's youthful figure. Rebecca was pleased that she had a hand in selecting her own party dress, and Rachel was relieved that it was age-appropriate and duly modest. And Puck…well he was glad that they could leave the mall and go home.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Hudson-Hummels returned from their trip on Saturday afternoon. Finn had blithely ignored the whole "Rachel thing" during his vacation. Once back at home, however, her picture on his desk reminded him that, uncomfortable as it might be, it was time to end things with Rachel.

Finn Hudson was a nice boy, basically a good boy, whose law-breaking was comprised of one speeding ticket, some underage drinking, and the occasional toke or two if a joint was passed at a party. He may have not excelled at math, but he quickly learned the equation that athleticism + school sports = a ticket to popularity, which had put him in the enviable position of getting his pick of the girls.

His original choice had been Quinn Fabray, the popular cheerleader, while Rachel, at the bottom of the high school social hierarchy, had been more like a pet dog; constantly following him around, doing whatever she thought would catch his attention and please him. After Quinn's fall from grace, he had rebounded with Rachel, the president and sole member of his imaginary fan club. Between hooking up with Santana and re-establishing his relationship with Quinn, Rachel appeared (at least, to him) to lose interest, and in as much as that which is rare is prized, the challenge of re-interesting a disinterested girl trumps the affections of the girlfriend du jour.

As girlfriends go, Rachel was pretty good; emotionally supportive and willing to do what he wanted, often in deference to her own inclinations. They were in love, or so he thought at the time; after all, she willingly handed him her "V card". Granted, she seemed less than enthusiastic about sex and was unwilling to experiment, but she said that it was special, and he believed her.

Over the past couple of months, he had sensed her pulling away. Although Finn had considered proposing to Rachel to maintain his personal status quo, he now realized that Kurt was right, and it would not have been a good idea. Seeing Rachel and Puck together at dinner last week was a huge wake-up call.

They had a shared faith and close family ties that were a stronger bond than Finn had previously realized. And now, they would be going to the same university…in New York. High School may be the great equalizer, where everybody tries their hardest to blend in, but home is where each person is free to be his or her own self. And he had never seen Puck or Rachel more themselves than when they were with each other.

Puck, who usually wore a mask of indifference, looked at Rachel as if she was the only girl in the world, created especially for him. And when Rachel cast her eyes on Puck, they were filled with pride and tenderness, as well as desire. From her earliest fan-girl pursuit to her most recent girlfriend status, she had never looked at Finn like that. And, in all honesty, although his affection for her was sincere, he never considered Rachel to be the only girl in the world.

The moment of truth as each relationship ends is always the same: who initiates the break-up. When it is one-sided, there is no question. However, In this case, he sensed that it would be mutual and with little, if any, bitterness. It all boiled down to how the McKinley gossip food chain would disseminate the news, and Finn preferred his reputation to be as that of as the dump-er rather than dump-ee.

* * *

On Sunday afternoon, Finn called Rachel and invited himself over, after verifying that she wasn't otherwise occupied. She greeted him fondly if not tenderly and offered him lemonade and homemade sugar cookies as they sat down in the family room.

"Finn, how was your vacation," Rachel politely inquired. "Great, thanks, Rach," he replied. "Washington is really cool. We saw the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial…even went to the Smithsonian. Definitely cool trip." "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Finn," she sincerely commented.

"Um, Rach, the reason that I, um asked to come over is, um, well, ya' know, when you said that we had, like, an 'expiration date'?" Rachel gave Finn a small smile and nodded her head in understanding. "Well," Finn clumsily continued, "I was thinkin', maybe, that, um…" "That maybe we had reached that date?" Rachel interjected calmly. "Is that what you're trying to say, Finn?" Rachel's voice and demeanor were calm and friendly, which reassured Finn immensely. "Uh, yeah, Rach, that's a good way of puttin' it."

"Finn, if you're asking to break up with me, that's OK," Rachel confirmed with a gentle smile. "After all, we'll be attending different colleges in different states. It would have probably happened sooner or later, anyway." Finn was surprised how well Rachel was taking the news. He had expected at least a feigned attempt to keep them together, coupled with a sprinkling of tears. "Are ya' sure, Rachel?" he hesitantly asked. "Of course, Finn, very sure," she attested.

"Finn," Rachel continued, "I want you to know that the time we shared was very important to me." Finn brightened up at her reassuring words. "You were my 'first', and you'll always have a special place in my heart." "Sure ya' don't regret that, Rach…I mean, er, not waitin'…ya' know," Finn uneasily asked. "Not for a minute, Finn," she assured him. "It meant a lot to me that I could share that with you."

After a moment, Finn spoke up again. "Rach, do you think you and Puck are going to, ya' know, start datin'?" Finn asked inquisitively. Rachel smiled wistfully and replied, "I think so, Finn; why do you ask?" "Um, I don't know, it's just…well, you were his main slushy target…" Finn suggested. "Yes, and I seem to recall something about you leaving me in a Christmas tree lot," Rachel countered, "and I certainly forgave you. Why wouldn't I forgive him?"

"I'm sorry about that, Rachel," he apologized. "Apology accepted, Finn," Rachel acknowledged with a smile. "I hope you can find somebody, too, Finn," Rachel gently suggested. "You're a good person and you deserve to be happy." Finn smiled bemusedly, and Rachel teased, "From the look on your face, you may have somebody in mind." "Um, well," Finn struggled a bit, "there are a couple of girls I might ask out." Rachel felt relieved that Finn was moving on, hopefully ensuring that their friendship (and Glee Club co-captaincy) would not be irreparably harmed. "I'm glad to hear that, Finn. Wait a bit before asking anybody out, though," Rachel cautioned. "Why's that?" Finn asked. "Well," Rachel replied, "if it's too soon, a girl will think she is just a 'rebound romance'."

"Thanks, Rach," Finn acknowledged. "That makes a lot a' sense." "I do my best," Rachel replied coyly. "Friends?" she hopefully asked. "Always," Finn confirmed with a relieved smile. "Will you still sing with me?" she questioned. "Of course," Finn answered. They simultaneously stood up and embraced; warmly, albeit platonically. "No hard feelin's, Rachel?" Finn inquired. "None whatsoever, Finn," Rachel avowed.

"Well, I'd better be gettin' back. Thanks for, uh, takin' things so well, Rach. See ya tomorrow," Finn concluded. Rachel walked Finn to the door and watched him enter his car and drive away. She smiled gently, relieved that "Finchel" was finally over.

* * *

About an hour later, Rachel's cell phone "pinged" with a text message…from Puck. "How R U Rach?" "Fine, Noah, how are you?" she texted back. "Good, thx," he replied, and inquired. "What's up?" Rachel smiled, and texted "Finn was here, Noah." " . U 2 break up?" he asked. "Yes :-) ," she confirmed. " :-) Gr8! C U in 10," he hastily responded.

True to his word, Puck was at Rachel's house in less than 10 minutes. She walked out to greet him, and as she neared him, he lifted her up in the air and kissed her soundly, which she returned with pleasure. He placed her back on the ground, their arms still wrapped around each other. He kissed her again, this time deepening the kiss, which she fervently returned. After a few seconds, it dawned on Rachel that they were standing in her driveway on a Sunday afternoon, and she reluctantly pulled away. "Let's go inside, Noah," she suggested, and they entered the house, hand in hand.

Rachel's fathers had been watching from the window, having recently returned from Columbus after dropping off the grandparents at their respective homes. LeRoy outstretched his palm; "OK, pay up, Honey," he teased Hiram. "Damn," Hiram replied, "I thought it would take them at least until Wednesday." He handed his husband a $20 and said, "Dinner's on _you_ tonight!"

* * *

**Author's note**: Finally! Hope everyone is pleased. Only a couple more chapters to go...then on to other adventures.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

**Author's Note**: Since we cannot send a message to a Guest, I would like to speak to a review received for the last chapter. First, thank you for reading and for expressing your opinion, which I sincerely appreciate, and thank you for your encouragement. I understand your perspective, and I would like to explain the rationale behind some of the creative decisions that were made.

Finn was being immature because that's what teenage boys are by nature. After all, he's only 17, 18 at most. Being an only child raised by a single mother, he would most likely be somewhat self-centered, so he would consider his needs above everybody else's. He wasn't a bad boyfriend, per se, or a bad person; he and Rachel just grew apart, which happens more often than not. Finn finally gained enough insight to see what was in front of him and realized it was best to cut his losses rather than hold onto Rachel just to spite Puck. He did what most boys would do in that type of situation, i.e. dump first rather than be dumped. Ultimately, it wouldn't have affected his popularity, just his self esteem.

Regardless if Finn was a good, bad, or indifferent boyfriend, Rachel didn't consider him a bad boyfriend, just a clueless one. After all, he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so to speak, and she is an intelligent girl. That would be enough for a relationship to grow cold in time. Both kids (more so Rachel, but Finn, too) strove to be the "ideal" that they thought the other expected, rather than just be themselves. That would strain a relationship, too.

I don't think that Rachel would have any regrets regarding taking her relationship with Finn "to the next level". Both kids loved each other, at least in the beginning, and they do care about each other as friends. Was it an "endgame" love? No. However, she made a conscious decision to have sex with Finn; it wasn't as if it had happened in the back seat of a car in the heat of the moment.

Anyway, sorry to run on. Thanks again for your comments. Please keep reading and supporting the Fan Fiction community (and my stories, too :-) ).

And now, on to the next chapter…

* * *

Puck arrived early Monday morning to drive Rachel to school. Since there was glee club practice after school, Sam had opted to drive himself so he could go directly to work after their rehearsal. As Puck parked his truck, he faced Rachel and asked "Ready?" Rachel smiled, looking lovingly into his eyes, and quietly said "Bring it!" He grinned and extracted himself from the truck, then went to her side, opened the door, and gracefully lifted her out and placed her gently on the ground. They kissed chastely, eyes filled with affection, and then proceeded to enter the hallowed halls of William McKinley high school.

As they were walking down the corridor toward their respective lockers, Puck noticed Mr. Schuester in Ms. Pillsbury's office. Puck said, "Rach, I gotta make a detour. See ya' in Home Room?" "OK, I'll see you there," she affirmed, smiling. Will and Emma were in conversation when Puck entered the office. They ceased speaking and looked questioningly toward him. "May I help you, Puck?" she inquired. "Well, actually I stopped by to see Mr. Schue, but I can share this with both of ya'," he said, grinning. "I got in, and I wanted to say 'thanks'," he said.

"Puck, you got accepted to NYU?" Will excitedly asked. "That's fantastic! I'm so proud of you!" They shook hands warmly, and Puck added "Full scholarship, Mr. Schue; tuition and books, and a stipend toward room and board." "That's wonderful, Puck," Emma added her congratulations. "You should be so proud of yourself!" "Well," he humbly countered, "I couldn't 'a done it without Rachel and Artie, and of course, you, Mr. Schue, and Coach. All'a ya' had my back, when most everybody wrote me off as a 'Lima Loser'…including me."

"Anyway, thanks again, Mr. Schue, for everything. See ya' in Glee!" Puck said, and exited the room, making his way toward Coach Bieste's office. "Emma, can you believe how that boy has turned around?" Will commented. "From juvenile detention to a full ride to NYU in less than two years; it's nothing short of miraculous!" "Will, isn't Rachel planning on attending NYU, too?" Emma wondered. "Yes, I believe that she is." Will's brows knit together in mild consternation. "And Finn is going to Ohio State…" Will chuckled; "Sounds like another spin through the Glee Club relationship revolving door. Those kids really are an incestuous group, aren't they?" Emma laughed and commented "Thank goodness none of them are related!"

Puck had reached Coach Beiste's office. He knocked on the half-opened door; she looked up, grinned, and said, "Come on in, Punkin! What's up?" "Coach," he began, "I wanted to stop by this morning and thank you." Puck continued, "I got in to NYU…full scholarship! Shannon got up from her chair and enveloped Puck in a huge hug. "Punkin, I am so proud of you!" she exclaimed. "Remind me again, what're you takin' up?" "Majoring in Hebrew and Judaic studies," he answered, "and minoring in music." "Sounds like you'll be busy, kiddo. Best of luck to ya'," she congratulated. The warning bell rang, and Puck excused himself and hurried off to Home Room.

Puck made it to Home Room with about two minutes to spare. He sat down behind Rachel, gently took a lock of her hair, and began playing with it, curling it around his index finger. He leaned in and whispered "Nana says that the next time you're in Columbus, she expects you over for cooking lessons." Rachel turned around with a mock-incredulous expression on her face and said "Excuse me?" Puck chuckled and quietly said "She says you have to take proper care of me in New York, and she'll teach you how to make some of my favorites." He smirked at her, but before she had time to respond, the bell rang, and class had begun.

As with any first day back after a vacation, the morning dragged on excruciatingly. At lunch time, Puck met Rachel at her locker; they entered the lunch room together and walked over to the table where some of their glee club friends were eating. With the exception of Mercedes and Kurt, who looked at each other knowingly, the remainder of faces at the table registered various expressions of shock. Finn had come in a few minutes earlier, surrounded by a bevy of girls, each apparently vying for his attention. Now, here was Puck with Rachel, looking at her as if she was the only girl in the room. Somehow, the world had rotated on its axis, and the two boys had swapped roles.

Before anyone could comment on this paradigm shift, Rachel excitedly said "Guys, Noah has some _amazing_ news!" All eyes turned expectedly to Puck. After placing his lunch on the table, he adjusted a chair for Rachel to sit down, and then seated himself. "Well, I got my college acceptance letter," he said, grinning widely. This was the first most of them had heard Puck mention going to college, outside of the times he had stated that "school is for suckers".

"Don't keep us in suspense, Puck" Tina challenged. "Where are you going to school?" "NYU," he stated, "on a full scholarship." Cries of "Wow," "Congrats, man," and other encouragements rang out, as their friends wished him well. Artie asked, "Tell us, bro, have you declared a major?" "First, off, Artie, thank you, big time," Puck began, "I couldn't 'a done this without you and Rach and Sam studyin' with me all this time." Puck and Artie fist-bumped, and Puck continued, "My major'll be in the department of Hebrew and Judaic studies, and I'll minor in music. Still haven't decided on a second minor, though."

As the group continued to digest Puck's revelation, Rachel smiled lovingly at Puck and interjected, "Noah, I'm sure everybody wants to know what your career plans are." "Yeah, Puck," Tina said, "what will you do with a degree like that?" "Since you asked, Tina," Puck said. "I'm gonna apply to a Cantorial College for grad. school, and study to become a cantor." With the exception of Kurt, Mercedes, Blaine, and Sam (and, of course, Rachel), the group looked incredulously at Puck, as if he had started speaking in tongues.

"Dude, will you be, like, a Jewish minister?" Mike asked. Puck chuckled and replied, "No, that's more, like, a rabbi. A cantor leads the services and chants the prayers for everybody to follow. Another thing they do is coach kids for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs." He paused for a moment, enjoying the audience reaction. "It's cool when ya' think about it. I'll get paid to sing every day, and if I want, I can still have a band and 'rock out' on the weekends." Puck leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, with a contented smile on his face.

Kurt spoke up. "Well, I for one would like to know who replaced our resident 'badass' with 'Mr. Studious' over here." There was good-natured laughter around the table, and Kurt continued, "Really, Puck, congratulations. I think this is an amazing opportunity and I'm truly happy for you…and Rachel." Rachel smiled at Kurt, who said teasingly, "If Rachel and I can work out living together next year, would somebody _please_ tell me where I can stock up on some ear plugs?" He looked slyly at Rachel, who blushed crimson, and then continued, "Because, those two? Trust me…" Kurt rolled his eyes and everybody laughed, relieving the momentary awkwardness.

Having exhausted the topic of Puck's educational pursuits and acknowledged his burgeoning relationship with Rachel, discussion shifted to Regionals, arguing the merits of one song over another, until the bell rang, reminding everybody that afternoon classes were fast approaching. The group broke up, their parting a mix of "Good-bye" and "See you in Glee".

The remaining periods passed less sluggishly than the morning, and soon school was out for the day, and it was time for glee club rehearsal. Most of the kids were already seated when Puck walked in, his arm around Rachel's shoulders. Brittany nudged Santana in the ribs as the couple sat down, as if to say "see, I told you." Rachel caught Finn's eye and smiled and waived, which he returned.

Mr. Schuester entered the room and announced, "OK, people, before we begin nailing down our Regionals set list, which, by the way, is in two weeks, we have some announcements." He looked around the room and made eye contact with a few students. "Finn, Puck, Rachel, and Kurt, I believe you have some information you'd like to share." Finn went first "Hey, well, I wanted to let everybody know that I got accepted into Ohio State." His friends applauded, and, once that died down, Puck said, "I've been accepted to NYU on a full scholarship." More applause greeted this admission, plus astonished looks from Quinn, Santana, and Brittany, who had not been with the group at lunch.

Rachel next spoke, "I just received confirmation of my auditions at NYU. They will be the Saturday after Regionals." Rachel was beaming, and Puck squeezed her hand as a show of solidarity and affection. Kurt chimed in "I'll also be going with Rachel; my audition is on the same day. I'm actually leaning more toward design rather than performing, but I still want to give this a chance." There were cries of "good luck" and "break a leg" for both teens. Rachel turned around in her chair (Kurt was behind her) and they high-fived.

Will said, "Well, congratulations to Finn and Puck, great job, and best of luck to Rachel and Kurt. Now, let's review the list…" "Mr. Schue," Rachel interjected. "Yes, Rachel," Will patiently replied. "Mercedes and I worked on something we'd like to share with the group." Will was indeed surprised that the two "dueling divas" had collaborated on a project and was interested in the results. "OK, Rachel, Mercedes, please proceed," he requested.

Rachel took some copies of sheet music and passed it out to the teens, and then to the Brad, the pianist. "This is 'What I Did For Love', by Marvin Hamlisch," she explained. "Mercedes and I will begin; the rest of the group should come in on the second 'Kiss today goodbye'." Rachel and Mercedes both met at the piano, and, as they had performed over a week ago, Mercedes began to sing. When it was time for the group to join in, they stood up at their seats and began singing along, moving to the music. Toward the end, Rachel put her hand up, indicating that the group cease singing, and she and Mercedes completed the number.

"Wow, that was great, ladies," Will complimented. "Not only did it sound good, but I'm proud of you two for working together. I'd like to see if we can build our Regionals set list around it." Both Mercedes and Rachel were beaming. They had gotten together during their week off to polish the piece, and it had definitely worked in their favor. Each had a solo, their voices blended harmoniously, and Rachel graciously let Mercedes take the spotlight at the end.

The club ran through the number again, and began brainstorming about what would work well with it (Puck, Finn, and Kurt had forgotten to suggest the piece they sang together). In as much as the day had dragged, their practice seemed like it was over in a matter of moments, and the students exited to collect their things and leave school for the evening.

* * *

**Author's Note**: One more chapter in this story. Will post in a couple of days. Until then...


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

**Author's Note**: This is a long chapter, but it is the last one :-(. Adult themes (no smut, per se), hence the change in rating.

* * *

On Wednesday afternoon, Rachel bounded into the house excitedly after her modern dance class. She entered the kitchen, where her fathers were preparing dinner. "Dad, Daddy, I have wonderful news!" Rachel exclaimed. "What's that, Dear," her Dad, LeRoy inquired. "Ms. Turner, the receptionist at the dance studio, is going on maternity leave, and she'll be off most of the summer." Rachel paused, her fathers looking at her curiously. "Well, they had a posting up for a replacement, I applied, and they hired me. It starts the week after graduation and ends the beginning of August," she explained. "Honey, we're so proud of you," her Daddy, Hiram complimented. "How many hours will you be working?" he asked.

"During the summer, the studio is only opened four days a week, and closed in the evenings, so around 30 hours," she stated, "and they have somebody to cover the desk when I'm at my voice lesson. "That's wonderful, Pumpkin," LeRoy said. "You'll have some extra money for New York, and job experience to boot. I think it's great," he confirmed.

"Rachel, would you mind sitting down for a minute?" Hiram inquired. "No, not at all, Daddy; what's up?" she responded. The three sat down at the kitchen table. "Honey," LeRoy began, "your Daddy and I will be going to Cleveland for a few days. The home office for one of our clients is there, and I'm working on a case for them, he explained. "Daddy was able to rearrange his patients, and we're leaving tomorrow and returning Sunday." "OK, thanks for letting me know," Rachel responded.

"Honey, the reason we're bringing this up like this is, well…" LeRoy hesitated, and Hiram continued "We know you and Noah have started seeing each other. We're very happy; we think he's a wonderful boy and has shown tremendous growth in the past year." He paused, and Rachel smiled wistfully, thinking of Puck. "The point is," he continued, "we love you both and we trust you both. Please, just be careful." Rachel had a similar conversation with her fathers when she and Finn had been dating for a few months, although it was apparent they held Puck in higher regard. "Don't worry," Rachel assured them, "whenever we do take that step, we'll be careful. After all," she mused, "I don't intend on starting a family until I'm at least _nominated_ for my first Tony."

* * *

Friday evening, Puck picked up Rachel for Temple. After Puck parked the truck, Rachel took a tissue paper wrapped package from her purse and handed it to him. "What's this, Rach?" he asked. "It's a belated birthday present, Noah," she replied. "Open it," she encouraged. Puck grinned and tore into the tissue. Inside was a crocheted yarmulke in a deep eggplant color, with a narrow white stripe about 1/4" from the edge. "This is great, Rachel! Thank you," he said. He cupped her face gently with his right hand and kissed her tenderly.

Rachel explained, "NYU's colors are violet and white, but you don't seem like a violet kind of guy." "Rach, this is awesome, but you really didn't hafta do anything; I mean, my birthday was five months ago," he acknowledged "Seeing you wear the one I made for your Bar Mitzvah reminded me, and I thought you'd like this, even if it is a few months past due" she explained with a shy smile. He immediately placed it on his head, which, given his unique hair style, perched a bit precariously.

He adjusted the placement using the rear view mirror. "Looks like the 'hawk has ta' go…well, after graduation, anyway," he said ruefully. "Guess my 'badass' days are numbered." "Oh, Noah," Rachel purred, "you'll always be _my_ 'badass'." "Any more talk like that, Berry, and we'll never make it out 'a the truck," he teased. They kissed once more, a quick peck, and then exited the truck.

After services, Rachel joined the Puckermans for Shabbat dinner. When the meal was over and the dishes cleared, Rebecca asked Rachel for some help with her hair, and the two girls went up to Rebecca's bedroom. Once they were out of earshot, Mrs. Puckerman asked, "Noah, honey, do you think you'll be spending the night with Rachel?" Noah was surprised by his mother's question, and it showed in his face. He may have come in extremely late, but he'd never stayed overnight with a girl. "Ma, what brought this up?" he incredulously asked.

"Rachel's fathers are out of town, and I wanted to know whether or not to expect you back tonight," she calmly answered. "Don't be shocked, Noah. I'm not naïve to your extracurricular activities, you know. That little girl alone is proof enough." Puck glanced away, thinking of Beth, whom he hadn't seen since Shelby hastily exited Lima months ago. "I never spent the night with a girl before, Ma," he said defensively, "why would I start now?"

"Because you care about Rachel," she wisely replied. "You'll see. When you do take that step, you'll feel differently. You connect on a deeper level; it's not just a physical act." She noticed his attention to the conversation, rather than looking away indifferently. Any "sex talk" in the past had been met with scoffs and a know-it-all attitude. "I love Rachel as if she was my own daughter, Noah. I don't mind if you choose to spend the night together." Puck was surprised; his mother was _encouraging_ him to sleep with Rachel.

"If you think it's a possibility," she continued, "go upstairs and pack a few things. Put it in your truck while she's occupied with Becca. At least, if you stay, you're prepared." Puck considered the advice, and before he had a chance to act on it, his mother interjected "One more thing, honey: please use protection. You two have dreams to fulfill, and I'm too young to be a grandmother...again." Puck smiled as he stood up and kissed his mother on the forehead. "I don't say this often enough, but I love you, Ma," he admitted. "I love you too, son," she replied. "Just remember, if you don't treat Rachel right, you will have me to recon with." She winked at Puck, and he went upstairs to do as his mother advised.

Puck discretely entered his bedroom and threw some things in his duffel bag. He took it, along with his guitar, and quietly went outside, leaving them in the back seat of the truck. Shortly after he returned, Rachel and Rebecca came downstairs. "Noah," Rachel began, "it's getting a little late. Would you mind taking me home?" "Sure, Rach, happy to," he replied. "G'night, Ma," Puck said, then kissed his mother. "Night, squirt," he teased, as he gently tweaked a lock of Rebecca's hair. "Good night, Debbie, thank you for dinner!" Rachel and Mrs. Puckerman embraced. "He loves you, you know," she whispered in Rachel's ear. "He doesn't realize it, yet. Be good to each other, dear." She kissed Rachel on the cheek; Rachel said nothing but met Debbie's eyes, non-verbally indicating that she understood. "Bye, Rachel," Rebecca giggled as she hugged Rachel.

Puck and Rachel were at the Berry house in about 10 minutes. Puck exited the truck and then helped Rachel out. They walked to the door hand-in-hand. On the porch, Noah kissed Rachel tenderly, and then deepened the kiss, which she returned in kind. "Would you like to come in, Noah?" she coquettishly offered. "Sure it's not too late, Rach?" he hesitantly asked. "Of course not, Noah", she said in a soft voice. "Please come in." Rachel unlocked the door, and led him by the hand into the house.

They walked into the family room. "Would you like to watch a movie?" Rachel suggested. "I'll get us some sodas." "Just water for me, thanks," Puck replied. He looked through the Berrys' DVDs, thinking about what to select. Nothing too violent…nothing too mushy…nothing too musical-y…definitely no Streisand…here we go…"Batman", the 1989 version.

Puck put the movie in the player, and Rachel entered the room as it was beginning. She placed their water bottles on the coffee table and sat down next to Puck. He was about to pull her close when her cell phone "pinged" with a text from Sam. "Hi, Rach!" "Hi, Sam," she texted back. "Gone 2 Artie's for COD. Home L8. Don't w8 up :-) " "Thanks for letting me know, Sam :-) " she replied. "That was Sam," she told Puck. "He'll be at Artie's playing 'Call of Duty'." Puck's eyes showed a glimmer of interest. "Noah, if you'd like, you can join them," she said, studying his face for a reaction. Puck smiled. "Thanks, Rach," he responded, "but I can do that any time. I'd rather be here." Rachel sighed dreamily and cuddled next to Puck; he put his arm around her and drew her close.

By 15 minutes into the movie, the magnetic pull between them superseded any action on the TV. Puck kissed Rachel deeply, which she fervently returned. As their passion increased, buttons were undone, zippers released, and hands began roving. Puck could feel himself becoming aroused, and, as he was about to unhook Rachel's brassiere, decided to cool things down in deference to her anticipated comfort level. He pulled away, and Rachel looked at him, confused and hurt.

"Did I do something wrong, Noah?" she asked, eyes filling with tears. "No, 'course not, Baby. I just don't wanna do something you're not ready for," he honestly replied. "Noah, who says that I'm not ready?" she asked him quietly, smiling tentatively, eyes locked on his. Puck's face registered a mixture of shock and surprise. "Wow…Rach, you were never one to 'go all the way' on the first date," he gently teased.

"Noah," she replied, "we've known each other all our lives. You've seen me at my worst and accept me as I am." She paused, never losing eye contact, and continued, "You've never tried to change me. You're always honest with me, even if it might hurt. I trust you with my life." Tears tracked down her cheeks, which Puck tenderly wiped away with his thumb. "Although it's true," she smiled shyly at him, "I don't treat sex casually. Still, I can't think of anybody who I'd rather be with than you. That is," she paused, "if you feel the same way."

Puck felt as if he had just won the lottery. Being a man of action rather than words, pulled Rachel onto his lap and kissed her as passionately as he was capable. He stood up, with Rachel in his arms, and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, bridal style, closing the door after them with his backside.

* * *

Four (or was it five?) condoms later, both teens were sated, cuddling together and basking in the afterglow of great sex. Puck stroked Rachel's hair, and her hand rested lightly on his chest. She giggled, "I guess Kurt was right. We'd better buy him some ear plugs." Puck chuckled. "Well, Baby, you're kinda loud, anyway; it was a natural assumption…" She mock-slapped him and teased, "Gee, thanks for the compliment, Noah."

Each teen was momentarily lost in their own thoughts, touching each other gently as if they couldn't bear separation. Being with Noah had been the most intimate experience of her life, and Rachel had never felt more connected to anyone. The few times she had sex with Finn, he would roll over and fall asleep, and she would wash up and go home, questioning if it was all worth it. Now, with the right person, she realized that it definitely was.

Puck was astounded. He had been with numerous willing females with varied degrees of experience, and afterward, he would extricate himself as quickly as possible to go home and shower. Right now, he couldn't imagine leaving Rachel's side. It was both empowering and humbling to hear "Noah" being called out in the throes of passion rather than "Puck". For the first time, somebody was with him, Noah, the person, instead of Puck, the persona.

Both Rachel and Puck slept soundly and awoke entangled in each other's arms and legs. Puck was the first one to arise. He glanced at the alarm clock, which read 10:05. He watched her sleeping peacefully, admiring her unique beauty, and ran his index finger lightly over her cheek, which roused her from her slumber.

Rachel opened her eyes and gazed upon her best friend and (now) lover, smiled, yawned, and stretched. "Mornin', sleepyhead," Puck said affectionately. "Good morning, yourself," she dreamily replied. "I should really get up and take a shower," she acknowledged. "Mind if I join ya'?" he mischievously inquired. "I've never done that before," she demurely stated. "Well, to be honest, neither have I," he admitted. "Guess we're both kinda virgins, then, huh?" Rachel giggled and said, "Well, I'm willing if you are." Puck did not need a second invitation. "Sure, c'mon, Baby."

Puck grabbed Rachel's hand and gently pulled her out of bed. Rachel, with a sudden surge of modesty, glanced around the room for her bathrobe. Puck noticed her discomfort and reassured her, "Rach, ya' don't need to feel embarrassed around me. You're beautiful. 'Sides, we're goin' to be naked in the shower, anyway." Rachel relaxed, and glanced down, noticing his erection. "Well, you're certainly happy to see me," she teased, trying to cover her initial embarrassment. They entered her en suite bathroom to brush their teeth and shower…

Afterward, Rachel dried off, dressed, and braided her damp hair in a plait down her back. Puck, still wrapped in a towel, said "Rach, would you mind goin' into my truck? My duffel's in there with some clean clothes." Rachel looked at him questioningly. "Noah, why didn't you just bring it in with you last night?" she asked. "'Cause," he began, "I didn't want you to think I was expectin' to stay. Actually, Ma's the one who suggested it." "Your mother?" she incredulously replied. "Yeah. She told me to be prepared if I slept over." He grinned and continued, "I think she's been prayin' for this for a long time." Rachel chuckled and said, "Toss me your keys, Noah, and I'll get it."

Rachel returned shortly with Puck's bag and guitar. "Maybe you'll play for me later?" she shyly suggested. He brightened at her request. "Anythin' for you, Baby!" he replied. "I'm starving," she stated, changing the subject. "Can't blame ya' after last night," he kidded suggestively. "We sure burned a lot 'a calories." "How do you feel about pancakes?" she inquired. "Sounds great!" he agreed. "Good," Rachel replied. "Let's go…you're helping." Rachel took Puck's hand and led him downstairs to the kitchen.

Rachel readied the kitchen for breakfast. She removed a cantaloupe, some strawberries, and blueberries from the refrigerator. "Here, Noah, cut up some fruit, and I'll make the pancakes," she instructed. Puck smiled; he liked confident, take-charge Rachel. "OK, boss," he acknowledged with a grin. Puck removed a bowl from the cabinet and began preparing the fruit, and Rachel started the coffee maker and commenced combining ingredients for the pancakes.

Puck turned his head and was surprised to see Rachel breaking eggs. "Rach, I thought vegans didn't eat eggs," he curiously remarked. "They don't, Noah. I figured you'd prefer this," she explained. "Actually, Daddy convinced me to become vegetarian instead of vegan." "Why's that, Rach?" he inquired. "Well, it's certainly an easier lifestyle to maintain, and less expensive, too. He told me that I need to consume at least _some_ dairy, as well." Puck looked slightly confusedly at Rachel, and she blushed.

"You're blushing, Rachel," he teased. "What's up?" "Well," she hesitantly began, "Daddy told me that the calcium will help keep my bones strong…" Rachel paused, and Puck said, "What, Rach? You know you can tell me anything." Rachel smiled shyly and averted her eyes from Puck. "He said it was important if I want to have a baby," she quietly concluded.

Rachel's body language conveyed her embarrassment at her admission. Puck, who had completed his assigned task, walked behind Rachel and encircled her in his arms, his hands resting lightly on her flat abdomen. "Do ya' want kids some day, Rach?" he carefully asked. "Yes, some day, Noah, very much," she confessed. "Do you? I mean…after Beth," she inquired. "Yeah, I do," he admitted. An image of Rachel, carrying their child, flashed through his minds eye and caused his heart to flutter. "Our kids would be pretty awesome, Rach," he mused.

Rachel smiled. "I'm sure they would, Noah, but I'd like to wait for a few years, if you don't mind," she teasingly admonished. Her tone brought Puck back to reality. He kissed Rachel on the top of her head, swatted her butt, and said, "Woman, I'm hungry. Now, make me some breakfast!" Rachel grinned evilly and retorted, "If you talk to me like that again, you can make your own pancakes!"

"Yes, my hot little 'Jewish American Princess'," he teasingly deferred. Rachel grinned. "Noah, you can't actually call me that any more. "And, why is that, Princess?" he inquired. "I have a job," she answered, "at least, I do when school gets out." Puck was impressed; aside from occasional baby sitting, Rachel had never worked. "That's great, Rach!" he averred, "doin' what?" "I'll be filling in for the receptionist at the dance studio," She explained.

"Ya' know, I almost forgot to tell you," he said with a grin, "I got a new job, too. Remember Mrs. Stone from Temple?" he asked. "Yes," she replied. "Well," he continued, "she's goin' out 'a town for the summer, and they asked me to run the 'summer camp' program in her place." "That's wonderful, Noah," Rachel complimented. "Yeah," he added, "guess that volunteer work paid off." The two teens sat down to breakfast, talking and teasing back and forth.

Sam and Artie entered the house about 20 minutes later, greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee, pancakes, and maple syrup. Entering the kitchen, they encountered the entertaining domestic scene of Rachel and Puck laughing and playfully feeding each other. They welcomed the boys and suggested that they help themselves to breakfast. They quickly did so, and joined their friends for a carefree Saturday meal in Lima, Ohio.

* * *

In retrospect, Passover truly turned out to be quite different than Rachel and Puck had ever anticipated. Rachel removed her Finn-colored glasses, once and for all, and realized that he was not her be-all, end-all leading man. She opened her heart to Puck, and he emphatically returned the feelings in kind. Puck was well on the road to becoming Noah, no longer needing to keep the rest of the world at arm's length. And, while their grandmothers planned and plotted in Columbus, Rachel and Puck faced the exciting uncertainty of college in New York. Life would have its ups and downs; it always does, and no relationship exists without tests along the way. But Rachel and Noah would face them together, and come out stronger as a result.

As the great lyricist Lorenz Hart wrote "And the simple secret of the plot is just to tell them that I love you a lot. Then the world discovers as my book ends how to make two lovers of friends."

* * *

**Author's Notes**: The lyrics are from "If They Asked Me I Could Write a Book" (music by Richard Rogers), from "Pal Joey".

In case you are unaware, a "Jewish American Princess", or "JAP", is a Jewish woman who has all of her needs taken care of by somebody else, which basically makes her a shallow opportunist. Most Jewish women consider this terminology highly insulting. Once Rachel became employed, she effectively removed herself from this category.

Many thanks to everybody who stuck with me through this (my first) story. I appreciate all of the comments and encouragement and hope you will "stay tuned" for more.

I hope I was able to convey that being Jewish is so much more than singing a Chanukah song, joking about the size of one's nose, or watching "Schindler's List". I'm very grateful that I was able to share a small piece of our rich cultural heritage and, if any knowledge has been imparted, then I have accomplished my goal.


End file.
